ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive June 2000 Drifters Camping Tour Changes for 2001, June 4 2000 Johannesburg based Drifters Adventours (Ultimate Africa Safaris highly recommends these incredible camping tours which our featured on our website under the grouping "Explorer Safaris"), is dropping prices for the 2001 season by an average of 10%! This price reduction combined with the constant upgrading of equipment, vehicles, staff training, itineraries and other resources places Drifters in the enviable position of being southern Africa’s premier adventure tour operator. As part of their commitment to constantly improve their product, itinerary and other changes that will take place in the 2001 season are as follows: The South Africa Explorer tour will be reduced from 20 to 18 days. The Mozambique tour will be reshuffled in order to better utilize time at each stop, and to include more highlights. The Southern Africa Explorer itinerary changes will now include Botswana’s Okavango Delta! A new tour, the 24 Day Southern Circle Explorer will be introduced. This tour will start and end in Johannesburg, and will include the highlights of Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. Okavango a "Lush Garden of Eden" after Rains, June 4 2000 The torrential rains that caused major damage to much of southern Africa earlier this year have turned Botswana's Okavango Delta into a lush garden of Eden. Rivers that have been dry for the last 10 years are now flowing, dry season watering holes are full and grass species are flourishing. Zimbabwe News Reports Exaggerated, June 4 2000 A visiting delegation of American business people said it was surprised at the tranquillity in Zimbabwe, in contrast to reports carried in the international press that the country is in turmoil. Hosted by the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe (HAZ), the US delegation comprised four couples, led by a Zimbabwean professor based at the California polytechnic university (CalPoly) James Kamusikiri. Larry Johnson noted "We had every confidence in coming to Zimbabwe, based on Prof. Kamusikiri’s interpretation of events here." Ron and Mary of the US Virgin Islands noted the following regarding their recent safari in Zimbabwe: "My husband and I have just returned from a marvelous ten day canoe safari that we almost missed! I had made arrangements for the safari in late February. In March, friends said "you’re not going to Zimbabwe?..." We traveled for a couple of weeks in South Africa and people we met said "you’re not going to Zimbabwe?!" We looked at each other and wondered about the news reports. Then we met a gentleman who was vacationing from the UK who raved about the Zambezi River and said to us to go and enjoy. We flew to Harare on a full plane from Jo’burg on May 1st. We encountered only helpful people and friendly faces. Memories are of the red sunsets, early morning tea and cookies always with a table cloth, the colorful flocks of bee eaters, the swoop and call of the fish eagle, the pink feathers on the yellow billed stork, the wonderful hippopotamus mother and her 2 - 3 day old baby, the home-made soup we had every evening before the main course, a baby elephant being dragged in by crocodiles, the moon so bright we could almost read by it and the river, the very alive and very beautiful Zambezi River - And to think we almost missed this experience of a lifetime." Mana Pools Update, June 4 2000 Here is a recent guide update from Mana Pools: "Clients are certainly in for a real treat, often having the services of a professional guide to themselves and virtually the experience of having an exclusive safari without the added cost. I have just had a fantastic week down in the Valley. We had a trip with three clients. The first afternoon was cool and overcast - but no wind - and we had some good elephant and buffalo viewing. As we came to shore the clouds parted for the last light of the day and gave us the most stunningly beautiful light show on the acacias and the river. This is what really makes Mana, the little surprises. The rest of the trip went very well with the weather being extremely kind to us and the river rising daily as one of the gates has been opened at Kariba Dam. This made canoeing easy and exciting as old channels have reopened, in particular the Nyamatusi channel. Game viewing was excellent with good game seen on walks and a great time with 14 wild dogs which chased impala near camp then chased them all over the bush before bringing one down. We were then able to crawl up to within several yards of them whilst they watched us curiously. Being quiet has its pluses as there are fewer people around - the park is definitely NOT a Masai Mara experience!! I drove out of the Valley to Harare today with not a hint of trouble on the roads. The drive was absolutely fantastic as it started with three wild dog hunting... then three hyena on the road with four more dogs close by, the female pregnant, and just before leaving the park, a leopard catching an impala!! Deforestation an Ongoing Battle in Malawi, June 4 2000 Malawi is losing at least 50,000 hectares of its indigenous forests every year due to deforestation. The culprits are said to be charcoal sellers and brick burners, unemployed people who have no other alternative to earn a living. In order to curb the continuing depletion of forest reserves, Malawi's government has established a system by which forestland is given to communities to manage and use responsibly. Malawi currently has 95 forest reserves covering some 750,000 hectares. British Climber Tumbles to Death Atop Malawi's Highest Peak, June 4 2000 A 25-year-old British tourist recently tumbled to his death while hiking / climbing at Chambe Peak, the highest point on Mulanje Mountain in Malawi. Climbing with ropes the British climber and New Zealander friend were battling with the treacherous cliffs and landscape. Gambles tripped, lost his hold of the rope, and crashed hundreds of meters down the ragged slope. The incident was immediately reported to police who sought assistance from the army. The army dispatched a helicopter to search for the body. Mulanje Mountain, the highest mountain in central Africa, is renowned for its beautiful views and unspoiled natural beauty. People living around the mountain believe ancestral spirits still roam the area. Black Rhinos for Namibia's Ongava Game Reserve, June 4 2000 The Ongava Game Reserve, managed by Wilderness Safaris in northern Namibia, has recently acquired four male black rhinos. The rhinos were recently translocated from Etosha National Park. Two of the bulls are fully grown and estimated to be 12–13 years old. The other two bulls are sub-adults and are approximately 6-7 years old. The Ongava Game Reserve is privately owned and lies on the edge of Etosha National Park. Several species have been successfully introduced thanks to a holistic management plan. Two black rhinos moved into the reserve during the last two years. With the addition of the four new males, Ongava now boasts 6 of these endangered animals. Plans are afoot to introduce more females to this group over the next couple of years. Kenya Wildlife Service Promoting Tourism and Conservation, June 11 2000 The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is to spend US $5 million (380 million Kenyan shillings) on promoting tourism and conservation. The director, Mr Nehemiah Rotich, said some of the money, donated by the European Union, would go into conserving game reserves. He urged those in the tourism industry to propose priority projects to benefit from the EU donation. In the last six years the KWS had spent US $24.3 million (1.8 billion Kenyan shillings) on projects under the Central Development Trustee Fund. New Wildlife Policy for Tanzania, June 11 2000 The Tanzanian government will adopt a new wildlife policy which will benefit rural communities. According to the policy, the government will repossess all hunting blocks allocated to professional hunters and hand them over to respective local authorities. The local authorities, in collaboration with rural communities, will then be empowered to allocate the hunting blocks to whichever company they prefer to do business with. Communities set to benefit from this policy are chiefly those bordering rich game controlled areas and parks. They include the Maasai, Ndorobo, Hadzabe, Bahi, Sianzu and Kimbu in northeastern Tanzania. Members of these communities are often arrested by game wardens and fined for trespassing on game conservation areas. As a result, they have been extremely bitter about being denied access to wildlife resources, which they believe, naturally, belong to them. Under the new policy the government will ensure that people undertake increased wildlife management responsibilities and get benefits to motivate them in the conservation of wildlife resources. South Africa might host next Earth Summit, June 11 2000 South Africa has offered to host the second Earth Summit, set to take place in 2002. This important announcement was made by the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Mohammed Valli Moosa. The first international Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Zimbabwe Lodges and Camps Offer Specials, June 18 2000 Due to lower tourist arrivals caused by pre-parliamentary election violence many Zimbabwean hotels, lodges and camps are offering special rates. Malilangwe, which normally costs US $500 per person a night, is offering all inclusive rates of US $207 per person per night until August of this year. Nduna Lodge (sister lodge to Malilangwe) is offering an all inclusive rate of US $108 per person per night. The Hide Safari Camp in Hwange is offering an all inclusive rate of US $170 per night per person inclusive of transfers until August. Tourism is Tanzania’s Second Biggest Contributor to GDP, June 18 2000 The tourism sector in Tanzania, accounting for 14% of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1999, served as second biggest contributor after agriculture. Tanzania Director of Tourism Saleh Pamba in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism said that tourist agents rose from 175 in 1995 to 230 in 1999 while the number of tourist hotel rooms rose from 6,935 in 1995 to 9,575 in 1999, an increase of 38%. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Philemon Luhanjo recently outlined Tanzania's strategy for tourism development. Luhanjo said Tanzania, like other African states, had embarked on development of tourism as a tool for poverty alleviation and improvement of the national economy. "Our country is one among those countries that have given high priority to tourism development." Mozambique Floods Drive Elephants to Malawi, June 18 2000 Recent floods in Mozambique, which covered almost a third of the country, displaced not only humans but also wild animals. Environmentalists in neighboring Malawi have said that herds of elephants fled the floods and swelled colonies of the tuskers in some of the country's game parks. Aggrey Dzimbiri, manager of Liwonde National Park, some 150 km east of Blantyre, said that as a result the number of elephants in the park has almost doubled. Normally, that park had about 500 elephants. "We have discovered that these elephants behave differently from ours in the park and we believe that they are coming from Mozambique," he added. Among other things, they are easily excitable, rough and are not friendly with the presence of people or other game. Environmentalists explain that the strange behavior in the Mozambican elephants might be a result of having to evacuate their niches in haste and in unusual circumstances in the wake of the unprecedented deluge. Another reason given for their "unfriendly" behavior is that in Mozambique the elephants roamed in unregulated bushes. The sudden swelling of the big mammals in Malawi, environmentalist’s fear, could be a time bomb for the environment. Already, Machinga area, where Liwonde National Park is located, has a perennial problem of stray animals destroying crops. When they have no crop to plunder, the giant mammals run amok in villages, sometimes killing people. Dzimbiri said so far there has been no threat from elephantine population explosion. "This might be because most of the crops have been harvested and the vegetation in the park still can sustain the animals," he explained. Liwonde National Park covers 538 square kilometers. A visiting environmentalist from India, C. K. Varshny, remarked that the park was too small to accommodate such a big elephant population without incident. "Of course, the conflict between surrounding communities and the elephants will likely increase." Mount Kenya’s Forests Under Siege, June 18 2000 Facing the worst drought Kenya has witnessed in 40 years, Maasai herdsmen have driven thousands of their cattle into a section of Mt. Kenya Forest. The forest, which provides vegetation cover for the foot of the mountain and serves as a catchment area for central Kenya, is the latest area to be invaded by the cattle herders in a desperate search for pasture and water. The pastoralists' earlier sojourn on the neighboring ranches had caused uproar, with some observers mistaking their act as part of a wider conspiracy by the locals to invade farms the way former Zimbabwean war veterans are currently doing on white-owned farms. The invasion of the forest has generated a lot of conflict between the herdsmen and the farming community who live around this mountain area. While the cattlemen claim they are solely interested in pasture and clean water for their herds, the farmers complain the marauding cattle are destroying their crops. Kenya's Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Francis Nyenze, said the government would not allow the forest to be allocated to any individual, either for cultivation or for ranching purposes. He maintained that the forest would remain intact and that the herdsmen were only being allowed into chosen patches of the forest. "My office does not condone deforestation. We shall not allow the forest to be excised," the minister said, adding that the forest would be left intact so that its biological diversity could be preserved. Mt. Kenya is the country's highest mountain harboring a natural rain forest covering several river sources, including River Tana, Kenya's main hydroelectric power source. Adult Bull Elephants Prevent Rhino Killings, June 18 2000 The introduction of older elephant bulls from the Kruger National Park to Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa to keep young delinquent elephants in check appears to have been a success. Without older animals as role models, young elephants came into musth too soon and started to attack and kill rhinos in the reserve. Since the older Kruger bulls were introduced, no new rhino killings have taken place. The same problem of rhino killings occurred in KwaZulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service's Hhluhluwe-Umfolozi Park until 10 Kruger adult bulls were transferred to the KwaZulu-Natal park. As in the case with Pilanesberg, a full-time research assistant will be studying the effects of the introduction of new bulls on existing elephant herds. Special Update - Peace Returns to Zimbabwe, June 27 2000 Over the past several months the Zimbabwe government sponsored violence to oppress the opposition party before parliamentary elections. Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections were held over the past weekend, June 24 and 25, 2000. Voter turnout was huge and overall the process was peaceful. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change won just over 1/3 of the parliamentary seats. President Mugabe has asked that all Zimbabweans regardless of race, ethnicity, or class work together in a peaceful manner so that Zimbabwe may develop. The land issue remains unresolved and farm invasions and related violence may continue. For those of you contemplating a safari to Zimbabwe's National Parks the land issue poses no safety concern. Zimbabwe is home to the most highly trained guides in Africa, several of the continent's greatest wildlife reserves, and an exciting array of wildlife and safari activities! Cape Town Plans World Cup Soccer Parties, June 25 2000 Cape Town will grind to a halt on July 6 - except for bars, restaurants and the Good Hope Center. Food and beverage outlets are predicting a welcome winter lunchtime boost in business as soccer-crazy South Africans brace themselves to learn if the nation is to host the World Cup 2006. Some 8,000 excited football fans are expected at the Good Hope Center where a giant screen will beam the result live from Switzerland at 2:00 PM. Mount Nelson Hotel Wins International Award, June 25 2000 Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel, a member of the prestigious collection of Orient-Express Hotels, has been named one of the world’s top 10 hotels in Africa and the Middle East for best service overall by readers of the US magazine, Travel and Leisure. The award follows the announcements last year by the US and UK editions of Condé Nast Traveler magazine, which voted the Mount Nelson the best hotel in Africa and the Middle East. Toothache Possible Cause of Tsavo Man-Eating Lions’ Wrath, June 25 2000 Recent research has indicated that a toothache might have been the reason for the notorious man-eating lions of Tsavo to go after human prey over 100 years ago in Kenya. Researchers at Chicago’s Field Museum, who have studied the skulls of the two man-eating lions, discovered that one of them suffered from serious dental problems that would have made it difficult for him to kill his regular prey. The feared Tsavo lions stalked and devoured 130 railroad workers in Tsavo, Kenya, in 1898 during construction of what was then known as the Uganda Railway. Field zoologist Bruce Patterson found one of the lion was missing three teeth in a row and had a broken lower canine with a large root-tip abscess. The upper canine had also rotated into an awkward dysfunctional position, making it difficult to dispatch large prey such as buffalo. The second Tsavo man-eater had a small fracture on a cheek tooth - not enough t0 compromise his hunting capabilities. Patterson’s findings are based on the theory that some man-eaters (lions, tigers, leopards) turn to humans when a chronic injury or infirmity prevents them from pursuing fast-moving prey like zebra or gazelles. The Tsavo lion’s canines would have made it hard for it to sever the spinal cord of the victim by biting through the nape of the neck, or suffocate its prey by throttling them to death, Patterson said. The male lions terrorized work camps, halting construction and forcing hundreds of workers to flee the area until they were shot by chief railway engineer Lieutenant General John Patterson that year. In 1924, Patterson sold the lions’ skins and skulls to the Field Museum for $5,000 dollars. The zoologist stressed that other factors could be behind the 1890s killing spree, during which the lions dispatched one worker every four days. Patterson noted "It is quite possible that the Tsavo man-eaters sought out humans because an 1890s rinderpest epidemic had killed millions of zebras, gazelles and other hoofed prey." Zimbabwe Elections Peaceful, June 25 2000 Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections took place this weekend. Voter turnout was by many accounts, huge, and overall the process was very peaceful. Results should be available late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Villagers Conserve Baobab Tree for Food / Medicine, June 25 2000 To many urban residents in Zimbabwe, the baobab tree is just another plant species found in hot areas of the country with little rainfall. But for Gogo Emerika Siyabuwa of Sinampepa village in Binga, some 413 km west of the capital, Harare, the giant tree is a source of food, medicine and shelter. "The baobab is a sacred tree to us, we make mats out of the bark, we also get the fruit and medicines which cure all sorts of diseases out of this tree," said the frail grandmother. The baobab, whose botanical name is Adansonia Digita grows up to 23 meters in height with a trunk diameter of up to eight meters or more. The bark is smooth, shiny and pinkish gray or copper in color. It has large whitish flowers that appear from October to December, the fruit is pear shaped with a woody hard shell up to 30 centimeters long, which may be seen from April to August. Gogo Emerika believes the baobab is the only tree that has "provided for us" for many generations. Most Tonga people in Zimbabwe use the tree for a variety of purposes, as food, medicine, for lucky charms and shelter. "The most important function of this tree to us has been that we use the trunk to make dug out canoes for our fishing," she said. Apart from the fishing nets and ropes, the Tonga people of the Zambezi Valley use the powder from the fruit to make sour porridge for consumption by both adults and children. The powder also makes a refreshing drink, which is taken as a cure for fever and stomach aches when mixed with the baobab leaves. "The seeds have a slight acidic taste and are pleasant and refreshing to suck, they can also be roasted and ground to make a very good substitute for coffee," she said. The pollen from the flowers makes good and strong glue while the fresh tender leaves can be boiled and served as vegetables. It is fascinating to see healthy and bouncing babies in the middle of rural remote Binga. This is because most of them are not fed on food supplements or syrups, but by frequently take whitish powder found around the seeds of the baobab fruit. The powder does wonders to the child’s health. The Tonga believe that baobab bark or roots soaked in water overnight and mixed with the baby’s bath water and used regularly, nourishes the baby "into a giant" like the baobab tree. Even more interesting is the fact that the tree is used by hunters and fishermen for spiritual support. Said Edson Siakeva: "But the number of users has increased to include gamblers, the accused in the courts of law, suitors looking for good girls to marry, and the unemployed. "If baobab bark and roots are mixed with Pod Mahogany left in water overnight and then used for bathing, this will bring good luck to a fisherman, hunter, gambler and even an aspiring driver at a road test," said Siakeva. Siakeva recently demonstrated some of the uses to journalists during a tour arranged by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management in the Zambezi Valley. While local environmentalists have voiced concern over the indiscriminate cutting down of trees by the rural communities for curios, carvings and firewood they have done nothing to stop the stripping of bark off the baobab tree. "Law exists to protect the indigenous trees but these are not enforced as the powers to do so have been left to land users and traditional leaders in most areas of Zimbabwe," said a Parks official. But Emerika said the Tonga people have lived in harmony with the baobab for over 500 years. It is always our tradition not to strip all the bark from the tree. We only do it on one side, this also enables the tree to bear fruit the next season," she said. An ecologist with National Parks said the baobab tree has amazing vitality, even when the tree is burnt, carved in, damaged by bush fires or stripped by the elephants which also find the bark as a source of food. The tree will always regenerate. The Tonga people, who on several occasions clashed with some government officials over their traditional beliefs, maintain that they will always respect their tradition and live happily with their heritage. Hundreds of Zambian Villagers Flee Elephants, June 25 2000 Elephants crossing into Zambia from Zimbabwe have forced hundreds of villagers to flee from the Gwembe Valley in Zambia’ s Western Province. The entire valley from Sivonga to Livinstone in Southern Province has also been invaded by elephants which are extensive damage to fields and property. Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) chief warden Isaac Longwe was quoted as saying that the situation was worrying and getting out of control. . "It is true that elephants are terrorizing villagers in the valley. We are aware of the situation and the authority is doing everything possible to bring the situation under control," he said. He predicted the influx to continue, saying the animals were running away from poachers and the on-going cropping exercise in Zimbabwe. It is reported that six people were attacked by elephants in the area last week, leaving one dead and another with a broken hand and leg while the others escaped unhurt. According to the report, seven people were killed last year by wild animals; a situation villagers described as life threatening. New Harare Airport to Open, June 25 2000 Harare’s new international airport terminal is now expected to open in August, two months after schedule. An acute foreign currency shortage has meant that imported materials for finishes have been slow in coming into the country, delaying the project’s completion. Kariba Poaching Increases, June 25 2000 Organized poaching is on the rise in Kariba, Zimbabwe according to the Wildlife Society’s, Kariba branch. An environmental officer with the society has said that a number of the town’s "big men" including businessmen and councilors were involved. According to the officer 20 poachers have been arrested so far this year, many of them with the help of The Buffalo Conservation Club, a local youth project which was formed two years ago. All indications to date point to the poachers being used by prominent persons who provide transport to and from the poaching areas. Women were also being used to distribute meat and fish for the illegal street market trade. With a massive drop in disposable income, resulting from the downturn in local and international visitors, there is a real possibility that many people will turn to poaching as means to generate income. Most of the poaching is carried out with snares and the area has seen a drastic decline in the impala population which are particularly susceptible to this method of poaching. Fish poaching is carried out on the lakeshore, often in breeding grounds designated by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management. Over the past eighteen months there have been persistent but unconfirmed reports that the lion population in Mana Pools National Park, a World Heritage site and the jewel in Zimbabwe’s wildlife crown has been steadily decreasing due to illegal incursions from two major hunting concessions on either side of the park. Air Zimbabwe Testing London – Victoria Falls Route, June 25 2000 Air Zimbabwe has hailed last week’s demonstration flight of its wide-body long haul Boeing 767 to Victoria Falls as a resounding success. The flight was to test the aircraft’s ability to land and take off from Victoria Falls airport. The company says the results have provided useful and encouraging information for both the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe [CAAZ] and Air Zimbabwe’s technical staff. David Mwenga, the public relations manager for the airline, said Air Zimbabwe’s UK operations into Victoria Falls would commence with a single weekly flight because the national airline, together with the Civil Aviation authority of Zimbabwe [CAAZ] was conscious of the need to develop Harare as a tourist hub in southern Africa. "We have made it clear that the operation into Victoria Falls will not compete with Harare," Mwenga said. "Although the proposed flight is aimed primarily at easing tourist access to Victoria Falls, business travel to Harare is assured through the onward operation to the capital by the same aircraft." Air Zimbabwe at present operates five flights weekly to London and plans to adapt one of these into a London – Victoria Falls – Harare flight. Rhino Island Safari Lodge, June 25 2000 Sighting endangered black rhino, lion and leopard resident in Zimbabwe’s Matusadona National Park will soon be easier with the opening of a new camp in the area. Situated on Elephant Point, on the same peninsula, but opposite what was the National Parks Muuyu site, Rhino Island Safaris Camp will be offering comfortable, bush style accommodation to a maximum of 12 guests. The camp comprises seven elevated units, all lake facing and with en suite shower and toilet facilities. These are built of wood with specially designed roofs that "self ventilate" – encouraging the natural flow of cool air from the bottom of the lodge up-wards as the warmer air escapes through the ventilation at the apex. Each room offers a restful view of the lake. Camp guests will be privileged to walk within this unique environment in the company of a professional guide, allowing up close photographic opportunities. Drives and boat cruises are also on offer to guests. Mana Pools Canoe Update, June 25 2000 Jenn Haines of Canada recently enjoyed a canoe safari in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe and had the following remarks: "I have just completed a 4 night canoe trip with Natureways in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe. It was totally idyllic. The other clients on the trip were from England and the States... and I think that it is very safe to say that everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The days were filled with canoeing, walking, a few game drives, not to mention wonderful meals. It was the perfect mix. We really saw some incredible game. The highlights were the peaceful moments canoeing on the river observing all of the animals and birds, the sunrises and sunsets, the walk when we tracked and found mating lions, dodging hippos, lunch literally in the middle of the river, beautiful candle-lit three course dinners... The list goes on. The guides and staff were incredible." Mana Pools Update 2, June 25 2000 James Varden has the following report on Mana Pools: "The river level is still quite high making exploring unknown channels quite exciting. A channel around the Mucheni area has opened up and has proved quite productive for game. Several large inland pans still exist and many birds have congregated to feed on fish. At one particular pan we sighted over 300 birds including marabou, saddle-bill storks, yellow bill storks, spoonbills, fish eagles, great white egrets and a few white pelicans. The weather has been great and the mornings and evenings not too cold. We are seeing good game including good elephant herd sightings past the Chikwenya area. The grass flood plain area out in front of Nyamatusi is completely underwater. This has changed the area totally. One channel we canoed up late afternoon in the Nyamatusi area proved to be one of the best experiences of the safari. It was so peaceful in the late afternoon light and many animals, including kudu and eland were coming down to drink unaware of our presence as we drifted along. We quietly drifted near a small cow herd with several young calves crossing the channel not 75 meters in front of us and watched as they fed on the other side. The safari was topped off by sighting mating lion." Return to Weekly Update Archive |
