ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive February 1999 Massive Amounts of Water Expected at Victoria Falls, February 7 1999 Exceptional rains in areas feeding the Zambezi river are expected to result in massive volumes of water tumbling over the Victoria Falls within the next few months. As a result, Lake Kariba, downriver from the Falls, could fill to a new high-level mark resulting in the opening of the dam's floodgates - a spectacular sight! Harare Airport Gets Facelift, February 7 1999 Refurbishment of the Harare International Airport is due to start in February with completion set for April. Over half of the Z$13m required for the project is being funded by the ZTA (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority) and Econet in order to provide improved facilities for international passengers while the new international airport complex is being built. The existing terminal will become the domestic terminal when the new international airport is completed. Elephant's Stealing Food at Zimbabwe Border Post, February 7 1999 Marauding elephants are stealing from food trucks at Chirundu, the border post between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Long lines of trucks wait at the border starting as early as 2 a.m. According to the drivers, this is the time that elephants in search of food rip off tarpaulins and destroy bags of flour or corn. The area where the trucks park is not fenced in, giving elephants and other game easy access. Fed up by the constant attacks, one hauling company wrote to the Zambezi Society, a wildlife conservation organization in Zimbabwe, trying to enlist support for an electric fence to be put up. The company also suggested that drivers be armed with cracker type guns to scare the elephants away, but this was rejected by the Zimbabwe Department of National Parks and Wildlife, which prohibits shooting and disturbance of wildlife without special permission. The Wildlife Society has called the Chirundu area "an elephant corridor" and says the customs department must improve border processing, which would eliminate the lines of trucks. It has suggested that the trucking companies join together to pay for a protective fence. The society rejects suggestions of arming the drivers saying, "once these drivers are armed, we are promoting poaching, as they will kill small game for meat, skin or for sale. The only way is to talk to the game wardens and enlist their help." According to one driver "the elephants are not scared. They just come towards the trucks and if you honk you invite trouble. If you get into your truck and roll up the windows they just ignore you - but not your cargo. There is nothing we can do to frighten the large animals away or to stop them from interfering with our cargo. So you risk losing your job by watching them destroy the cargo." New Zimbabwe Lodge Focuses on Birds, February 7 1999 A new Zimbabwean lodge, the Jacana Safari Lodge, is perfect for birding enthusiasts. Situated in Africa's largest private game reserve, the Save Valley Conservancy in south eastern Zimbabwe took its name from the resident African Jacanas. Activities at the lodge include professionally guides walks and day and night wildlife viewing from open 4x4 vehicles. Photography Allowed at Famous Prison, February 7 1999 Visitors to the famous Robben Island in Cape Town should soon be allowed to take photographs of all or most parts of the prison. Some visitors to the island have expressed annoyance at the "undemocratic" and "pointless" rules barring photography in certain areas of the former prison and military site where President Nelson Mandela was held. Tanzania Ratifies Convention on Wildlife, February 7 1999 The National Assembly of Tanzania has ratified the international conventions on protection of migratory wild animals and conservation of wetlands. The Tanzanian Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Mrs. Zakia Meghji, said the objective of the conventions is to safeguard animals which migrate. Tanzania is renowned for its vast wildlife resources but human actions have disturbed natural habitats. Addressing the National Assembly this past Wednesday, Meghji said signatories to the conventions have the responsibility of ensuring the species' habitats are not disturbed. Debating the bill, another member of parliament, Juma Akukweti, said the convention is timely but it is silent with regards farmers' crops which are destroyed during the migration of animals. He said people's property should also be considered when governments take measures to protect wild animals. Daily Harare Flights to Continue, February 14 1999 British Airways franchise partner Comair has delightedly announced that as a result of further talks between the respective Ministers of Transport for South Africa and Zimbabwe that their daily flights on the Johannesburg - Harare - Johannesburg route will continue to operate as originally scheduled. These daily flight schedules will officially commence again as from February 15, 1999 departing Johannesburg International Airport at 11:00 AM each day, and returning from Harare at 1:35 PM. United Nations Gives Green Light to Elephant Ivory Sale, February 14 1999 The United Nations conservation body, CITES, which monitors a nine-year-old ban on trade in elephant parts, announced this past Wednesday it had agreed to a one-off sale of ivory from two African countries to Japan. The decision will allow Zimbabwe to sell up to 20 metric tons and Namibia just under 14 metric tons, the declared stocks of the two states. This will be the first legal international commercial sale of ivory since the ban went into force in 1990. CITES, which has 130 member countries, said the green light was given because theses countries had shown that they had mechanisms in place to ensure there were no illegal sales and that the proceeds went to elephant conservation. Botswana, which with 25.3 metric tons has the biggest declared stock of ivory from elephants who have been culled or died naturally, almost met these conditions but final checks still had to be made on the spot, the announcement said. Since the international ban was agreed in late 1989, elephant numbers in Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana have increased and CITES decided in 1997 that the animal was no longer under immediate threat there. Mr. John Newby, species conservation director of the Swiss-based World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) International said Wednesday the measures agreed by CITES "will, in the long term, improve the monitoring of poaching and illegal trade. The effect of this would be to help efforts to protect elephants in both Africa and Asia". Tarangire Park Warden Says Wildlife Endangered by Farming, February 14 1999 A major wildlife sanctuary in northern Tanzania faces a bleak future because farmers' plots have cut the migratory routes of animals in the area, a conservationist said past Thursday. Edward Lenganasa, chief warden at Tarangire National Park, said "animals have been unable to move back and forth between the park to the nearby Lolkisale Controlled Game Area because of farming." Conservationists argue that animals need to be able to roam freely if they are to survive. Compounding the problem, hunting under license is allowed in the controlled game area. The warden said "hunting so near the game reserve is contributing to the decline of several species including lion and leopard." Tarangire National Park, located southeast of Lake Manyara, is part of the wider ecosystem that includes the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Mass Effort Stops Kilimanjaro Fire, February 21 1999 The fire that raged Mount Kilimanjaro's slopes this week were extinguished on Wednesday by a combined effort of more than 500 villagers, park rangers and members of the Tanzania defense force. Officials of the Tanzanian National Parks say tens of hundreds of hectares of forests were destroyed. Regional authorities plan to do an aerial survey to determine the damage. Plans are also being made to launch an emergency fund for the protection of mount Kilimanjaro. It is believed that the latest fire, the second within two weeks, was set by hunters or farmers clearing farms in anticipation of annual rains next month. The areas around the world's tallest free standing mountain are already facing serious deforestation, threatening both flora and fauna. U.S. Geologists to Recover Ice Cores from Mt. Kilimanjaro, February 21 1999 A group of United States geologists have asked the Tanzanian government to allow them to recover ice cores from Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, for scientific research. Prof. Lonnie Thomson of the Geological Science Department at the Ohio State University, has predicted that the glaciers at the top of the mountain may disappear in 30 years due to global warming. Meeting with the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Philemon Sarungi this past Thursday, Thomson said the ice fields on the mountain in north Tanzania represent the only place in Africa where ice core records can be recovered. Kenya Closes all Embassies Abroad, February 21 1999 The Kenyan government has closed its 34 embassies around the world after Pro-Kurdish activists stormed Kenyan embassies in Vienna, Bonn, and Paris this past Tuesday, mistaking Kenya for playing a role in the capture of a rebel Kurdish leader by the Turkish authorities. Fire Breaks to Protect Kenya's Lake Nakuru, February 21 1999 The Kenya Wildlife Service has constructed fire breaks around Lake Nakuru National Park as a precaution following a fire last week which destroyed 50 hectares of grass at the Honeymoon Sanctuary in the park. The 188-square kilometer park, ringed by a solar-powered electric fence, has over 70 rhino and large herds of buffalo, Rothschild giraffe, zebra, impala, gazelle, water buck, warthog and bush buck which could be adversely affected if the park's vegetation was destroyed. The Kenya Wildlife Service also reports that polythene bags were being blown into the park from Nakuru Town. Wildlife Conservation Treaties Making Little Difference in Africa, February 21 1999 A six month surveillance of wildlife conservation in eleven African countries reveals that international conservation treaties have made precious little difference. While limited legal trade in ivory was given the go-ahead this past week, a report released by South Africa’s Endangered Species Protection Unit (ESPU) shows that the protection of endangered species in sub-Saharan Africa is in a dismal state. The report is based on an intensive six-month surveillance of 11 countries undertaken by ESPU officers. It shows that international treaties aimed at saving endangered species, including elephants, have little impact on the ground. Most of the countries lack the will and the resources to enforce international agreements, it says. In some countries, conservation authorities are not even kept informed about changes in international legislation. The report is the outcome of a training and reconnaissance exercise codenamed Project Jumbo. Project Jumbo indicated that Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe have relatively strict controls to prevent poaching and illegal trafficking, but they share borders with countries which don’t. Many of these borders are unfenced, enabling animals to move between countries. The ESPU, a division of the South African Police Service, has become Africa’s top wildlife law-enforcement agency since it was set up 10 years ago. Wilderness Safaris to Market New Botswana Concession, February 21 1999 Wilderness Safaris is to be involved in the marketing and management of two new camps in a "brand new area" in Botswana's Okavango Delta. The "Jao Concession" will be the last area made available for development in the region. The concession has been awarded to Ngamiland Adventure Safaris, the main shareholders of which are the Kays family, which first arrived in Maun, Botswana in about 1910. A sixteen and an eight bedded camp are to be built, with completion scheduled for August of 1999. The larger camp will be called Jao Camp and the smaller, Kwetsani. Wilderness will have considerable input as to the design and running styles of the camps, which will only be accessible by air. Also in Botswana, Wilderness Safaris plans to build a new Mombo Camp at a better site, accommodating just 16 guests. Xigera Camp remains within the Wilderness portfolio under new owners. Cape Town's Mount Nelson Turns 100, February 21 1999 Cape Town's grand Mount Nelson Hotel will celebrate its centenary this year. The 100-year-old hotel first opened its doors on March 6, 1899, when it was used as a stopover for passengers of the Union Castle Line's steamships. Since then, the award-winning hotel has gone on to host many local and international diplomats and celebrities. The late South African-born writer and explorer, Sir Laurens van der Post once said "I've traveled about a great deal in the world but my favorite hotel is still probably the Mount Nelson." Sir Laurens' daughter, Lucia van der Post, will be the guest speaker at the hotel's Centenary Lunch in September which forms part of the year-long birthday celebrations. Other scheduled events include a garden party in March, a 'Fashion Through the Ages' fashion show in May and Centenary Ball in August with President Nelson Mandela as the guest of honor. The Mount Nelson Hotel provides accommodation in 226 individually furnished, air-conditioned suites and bedrooms with garden or mountain facing views. Of these rooms, 67 new bedrooms and suites, including a penthouse and several garden suites, are located in the lavish Palm Avenue extension adjacent to the main building and are listed as historical building sites. South African Airways to Increase Flights to United Kingdom and USA, February 21 1999 South African Airways is to provide a daily service between Cape Town and London and 18 flights a week on the South Africa - United Kingdom route by March of this year. Next year, the airline plans to increase the number of weekly return flights to 26. Plans are also in the pipeline to increase flights to the United States from 14 to 17 a week later this year. Starving Hippos Terrorize Zambian Villagers In Daylight, February 21 1999 Four people in Zambia's southern Sinazongwe district bordering the Zambezi river have been reported killed by hippos who are said to be attacking villagers in their fields. A local chief in the area was quoted as saying "the hippos appeared to be desperate for food and were charging at villagers who tried to scare the mammals away from their fields near the river." Wildlife experts in Lusaka, Zambia said that this is the first report in years of the usually amphibious mammals coming out of the water to attack ''innocent people'' in their fields. Hippo generally attack human beings only ''under extreme provocation'' and in the process of protecting their young. Rains Reduce Bumi Hills Flights, February 21 1999 Heavy rains in northern Zimbabwe have forced Air Zambezi to drop their Bumi Hills stop on their Harare/Bumi/Kariba three-times-weekly scheduled flight. Due to soaked ground conditions the airstrip can only handle four seater light aircraft. Air Zambezi flies 10 and 12 passenger aircraft. Construction of New Zimbabwe Resort Begins, February 21 1999 Construction of the Hyatt Regency Resort Center near the Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe has begun and a temporary casino is expected to be completed by June this year. Construction of the entire leisure center would be completed within the next 24 months. In addition to a casino, Hyatt will have an Export Processing Zone, a small game park, an 18-hole golf course and a five star hotel with 350 rooms. Steam Train Between Victoria Falls and Hwange, February 28 1999 Visitors traveling in Zimbabwe now have the option of traveling by steam train between Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park on the African Express steam train. The train trip takes less than five hours and travels through some of western Zimbabwe's finest scenery. The service runs from Monday to Saturday. Exclusive Millennium Train Ride, February 28 1999 The luxury Blue Train is offering tickets from US $3,800 per cabin for the December 31, 1999 departures from Cape Town and Pretoria with the two trains meeting halfway in the Kalahari for a wild party at a secret venue as the clock strikes midnight. There will be dancing, fireworks, food and wine under the stars. The trip is available for 80 couples and full payment must be received by July. The two 18 carriage, 84 passenger Blue Trains were originally built in 1946 but were relaunched after a US $11 million refit two years ago. Compartments have ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning, and suites have CD players, video and cellphones. Dogs Attack Cape Town Penguin Colony, February 28 1999 Two dogs ran amok at the Boulders penguin colony in the Cape Peninsula National Park near Simons Town, killing 13 of the threatened species. Six eggs were recovered from the dead bird's nests and are being incubated at Sanccob (South Africa National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) in the hope that they may still hatch. The dogs - Siberian huskies - had apparently escaped from their Murdoch Valley property. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
