ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive June 1998 Zimbabwe Gets $68 Million Loan for Wildlife Protection, June 7 1998 The World Bank has approved a $68 million loan to Zimbabwe to help protect its national parks and wildlife, it was announced recently. The funds will go towards helping the government protect park ecosystems from damage and wildlife from poaching. The government program was also aimed at providing jobs to local populations in park management. Improved parks and a preserved natural habitat will add bottomline benefits to Zimbabwe's tourism industry. New Flight Tax for Zimbabwe Travelers, June 7 1998 All passengers traveling on domestic flights within Zimbabwe will now have to pay a Z$50 (US$3) departure tax. International departure tax remains at US$20. The tax is expected to impact tourists overnighting at Kariba and Hwange en route to Victoria Falls from Harare. Safari Par Excellence offers Tiger Fishing Package, June 7 1998 Safari Par Excellence will offer the only 'Tiger Fishing Circuit' on the Zambezi River. They will offer both 3 day and 7 day fishing programs at three of its exclusive tented lodges in Zambia. Operator Marc Reading reports that, although all are situated on different parts of the river, Mutemwa Lodge (Barotseland); Victoria Falls Thorntree Lodge and Mwambashi River Lodge (Lower Zambezi) provide good bases for tiger, bream and vundu fishing. Each lodge has its own well- equipped fishing boats, professional guides and boatmen. Packages, from US $430 to US $1700, include fishing at Lake Kariba with transfers by 4x4 vehicles, boat and plane. Plans are currently under way to introduce specialist fly-fishing and spinning courses at the various lodges. Table Mountain Proclaimed National Park, June 7 1998 The South African government last week proclaimed Table Mountain as part of a giant new Cape Peninsula National Park. In an announcement to commemorate World Environment Day, President Nelson Mandela said the mountain is of immense ecological, cultural, religious and economic significance to South Africa. ''During the many years of incarceration on Robben Island we often looked across Table Bay at the magnificent silhouette of Table Mountain. 'To us on Robben Island, Table Mountain was a beacon of hope. It represented the mainland to which we knew we would one day return,'' Mandela said. Stretching from Signal Hill all the way down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, the new national park will protect the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. The Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the world's six floral kingdoms is a unique conservation responsibility for South Africa. Mandela said that by proclaiming this new national park, the government has shown that it is committed to conserving this rich portion of the earth's biological heritage. ''I am therefore happy to announce that the proclamation of this new national park will be a South African gift to the earth,'' he said. He said South Africa as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, is committed to playing its role in the conservation of the global environment. South African Airways Pursues Flight Comfort, June 7 1998 South African Airways is extending the First Class seat pitch on board its Boeing-747 fleet from 62 to 83 inches with a 180 degree recline. The airline's Boeing 747-400s and 300s will have 14 first-class seats; the 200s - 12 seats and the 747-SPs eight first-class seats on the upper deck. The new seats will also be fitted to the airline's two new Boeing 747-400s, to be delivered later this year, the remainder of the fleet being refitted when it undergoes refurbishment. Business and economy class seats will also be upgraded with increased seat pitches. Other future in-flight improvements will include the installation of high-tech, interactive personal TV and video screens in all three classes as well as the addition of gaming, fax and telephone facilities. Mass Drummers to Herald Year 2000, June 7 1998 All eyes will be on Durban, South Africa on December 31, 1999 as it spearheads one of the world's most thrilling millennium events. Four thousand drummers from around the world will converge on Durban making South Africa the only country to universally celebrate the dawning of the new millennium for a full 24-hour period. The initiative was launched by President Nelson Mandela during Indaba 1998. The President gave his support to the ambitious project saying that South Africa will "beat the drum of change"...by celebrating using the one time honored means of communication - the drum, common to every nation. Drummillennium2000 will utilize 21st century satellite and broadcast technology to broadcast the event throughout the world. New Zealand will be the first satellite link-up, supported by drummers on stage in Durban representing New Zealand. Thereafter, drummers - acting in unison on the hour, every hour - will celebrate the arrival of the new dawn in their geographical time zone, each time linked to Durban. Another event, a 'Drum Relay', will attempt to recreate the 'Bush Telegraph'. A chain of drummers will be placed equidistant and within hearing distance of each other from Cairo to Durban, the drumbeats passing from drummer to drummer before reaching the Durban stadium filled with millennium revelers. Lions Eat Suspected Immigrant in South African Park, June 7 1998 A pride of lions in South Africa's Kruger National Park have made a meal of a suspected illegal immigrant from Mozambique, police said last Wednesday. The man was attacked and eaten early on Tuesday near the border with Mozambique, prompting speculation he was the latest in a stream of illegal immigrants attempting to enter South Africa through the park. "We suspect the man was from Mozambique but we cannot identify him...We can't take any finger prints because there are no fingers,'' a police spokesman in the eastern province of Mpumalanga said. The park straddles the border between the two countries and lions have eaten illegal aliens from Mozambique in the past. Wildlife History at Zimbabwe's Imire Lodge, June 7 1998 Zimbabwean wildlife history was made this past week, when a female black rhino was tracked and darted from the back of an African elephant. She was one of two black rhinos that were translocated back to Zimbabwe's Matusadona National Park. Imire Game Ranch, 32km from Marondera, was the setting for this remarkable game capture exercise. Imire was one of the first areas of Zimbabwean farming land to be set aside for wildlife and the game ranch became involved with species survival during the tragic decline of the black rhino population in the Zambezi Valley due to poaching in the late 80s and early 90s. The policy of translocating surviving animals, and particularly the orphans of poached adults, to safe areas became a National Parks priority at this time. Imire, the family farm of Norman Travers, with its commitment to the preservation of indigenous wildlife, was one location that was, in 1987, entrusted with the care of orphan black rhino calves - four females and three males. Their success has been remarkable, and has been mirrored in other locations across the country. Over the past 11 years, these seven rhino have been brought to maturity - a painstaking process of bottle-feeding, then weaning on to a diet of natural browse and supplements. They have also produced six calves. One, unfortunately, drowned; but three were translocated to the National Parks 'nursery' at Tashinga, where a final period of weaning and introduction to the wild has resulted in their final release into the Matusadona National Park at the age of about two years. The remaining two rhino calves are still at Imire, one is still with its mother, while the other is being weaned in a special boma. It has been Zimbabwean National Parks' policy to retain the adult breeding groups in their various protected environments around the country, while partially weaned youngsters are translocated to protected area within National Park's intensive protection zones. Imire had conformed to this policy, but found that one female, known as Cuckoo, was developing a decidedly individual turn of mind. She is a prolific mother, having given birth to three calves and being pregnant at present, but since Imire's principal activity is tourism, there is a risk to visitors. In consultation with National Parks, it was decided to move Cuckoo, and an adult male, Fumbi, directly to Matusadona National Park, on the shores of Lake Kariba. This is one of four intensive protection zones, where there is constant patrolling and monitoring of animal numbers. Last week's operation at Imire was a joint exercise with the Department of Veterinary Services and the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management. Dr Chris Foggin, an experienced wildlife veterinarian, was responsible for the darting, tranquilization, and revival of the two selected rhinos, while National Parks personnel loaded and transported the animals to Matusadona. The darting and loading of Fumbi was considered to be reasonably straightforward, as he was in the habit of visiting the Imire boma area each day. Cuckoo, however, took full advantage of the extensive Imire property, and would have to be found. This is where another innovative initiative by Norman Travers and his family was exploited. The game ranch has patiently developed the use of African elephants to transport visitors on game-viewing rides. The many species of animals on the ranch have come to regard these elephants as part of the natural scene, despite the fact that humans were riding on them. So Dr Foggin and the National Parks team availed themselves of this unusual form of transport to venture out and find Cuckoo. Within just over an hour, they had found her. She made history as the first rhino to be darted from a veterinarian from the back of an elephant. The journey to return Zimbabwe's black rhino population to its high of 2,500 in 1985, from a low of 270 in 1993, will be a long one, but present estimates of 340 nationwide indicate that the recovery policy is working. The contribution made by people such as the Travers of Imire was commended by Nicholas Duncan, president of Save Foundation of Australia, who watched the operation on Friday. His organization has donated $12 million to wildlife projects in Zimbabwe over the past 11 years, principally to National Parks, but also to projects such as the Imire rhino breeding program. New Airline for Zimbabwe, June 14 1998 Zimbabwe will have four airlines with the launch of Air Zambezi on July 1, 1998. The airline will not compete with existing scheduled carriers. Air Zambezi will feed into Zimbabwe's major hubs such as Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo from smaller towns and lodges. Zimbabwe's other carriers are Air Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Express and Expedition Airways. Zimbabwe - Call to Move Grave of Cecil Rhodes Rejected, June 14 1998 The Zimbabwe government has rejected calls from cultural groups, historians and traditionalists to remove the grave of Cecil John Rhodes from Matopos Hills near Bulawayo. The country was known as Rhodesia until independence in 1980. One of the cultural groups, The Restoration of Revered African Sites, says the continued presence of Rhodes' grave at Matopos is "an insult to the intelligence of the Zimbabwe people. The Matopos is one of the holiest shrines in the country and by occupying it as he did and requesting that he be buried at Matopos, Rhodes was making the point that the Africans' God was weaker than his God," says the group. Another pressure group, Sangano Munhumatapa, says the grave is in a site where the nation's pre-colonial kings were laid to rest and must be removed. The groups say the current economic and social upheavals dogging Zimbabwe are a result of dissatisfaction by spirit mediums over the state of the country and over the lack of initiatives by the rulers to redress some wrongs committed against the indigenous people. World-class Resort Planned near Harare Airport, June 14 1998 Hyatt Regency Hotels is planning a US $60 million resort near the Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe. The developer, Hyatt International Corporation, one of the world's leading hotel chains with over 175 hotels around the globe, has been trying to build a tourist resort in Zimbabwe since 1996. Construction of such a resort is, however, dependent on the hotel chain's success in securing a commercial casino license from the Ministry of Home Affairs. The resort is expected to be built on a 500-hectare piece of land near Harare International Airport, on the route leading into the city center. Johannesburg World Trade Center Closes for Building of New Casino, June 14 1998 The World Trade Center Hotel at Johannesburg International Airport has been closed for renovation from June 1, 1998 and will reopen on December 1, 1998. Global Resorts East Rand, one of the six successful applicants for a casino license in Gauteng, has purchased the property. They are planning the development of a world-class hotel, casino, convention and entertainment resort on the property, which will be named Caesar's Casino Resort and Convention Center. A temporary casino with related restaurants, bars and other entertainment facilities will open on December 1 together with the upgraded existing convention center & renovated World Trade Center Hotel, while the new hotel & casino are being constructed. The completed Caesar's resort is scheduled for opening on 1 July 2000. New Plan for Kenyan Tourism, June 14 1998 The Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers has called for laws to ensure that money is retained for development and maintenance of infrastructure, which has been partly to blame for the tourism industry's collapse. Kenyan Hoteliers have proposed that local authorities should be allowed to retain 5% of tourism earnings to improve infrastructure. American to Take Over at South African Airways, June 21 1998 Forty-three year old American, Coleman Andrews will take over as South African Airways CEO with immediate effect. Billed as the man who turned US-based World Airways around, South African Airways shareholders expect him to do the same for SAA. Kenya Continues Down Wrong Tourism Road, June 21 1998 Unlike Africa's premier safari destinations of Botswana and Zimbabwe, Kenya continues to encourage high volume, low revenue mass tourism with the Kenyan government setting a new target of hosting two million tourists by 2002. "An aggressive marketing drive will be stepped up in the coming financial year to ensure Kenya recaptures its lost leadership position in the world of tourism," said Minister for Tourism Herry Kosgey. This leadership, defined by Kenya's government as attracting the most tourists, does not bode well for travelers looking for a true African wilderness and wildlife experience, and will do nothing to improve the overcrowded state found at Kenya's most popular parks. Frantic Kenya Hotels Slash Rates, June 21 1998 Shunned by foreign tourists due to security concerns and deteriorating infrastructure, desperate hotels in Kenya are slashing their rates to woo locals and save their collapsing businesses. Peter Ludava, a manager at Leisure Lodge Beach Hotel, a popular tourist spot in Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, said his hotel, for example, has reduced its rates from 5000 Kenyan Shillings (US $82) per night for a single to 1300 Ksh (US $21). In the 1970s and 80s, tourism became Kenya's largest foreign exchange earner, followed by tea and coffee. The sector flourished until 1992, when there was a decline due to the political transition, but shortly afterwards, it picked up again. Lately, tourists have shunned Kenya for other destinations like Botswana and Zimbabwe, According to those in the industry, the level of occupancy in most popular Kenyan tourist areas is at an all time low ranging between five and 20 percent. Temporary Closure of Table Mountain Cableway, June 28 1998 The Table Mountain cableway system will be closed from August 5 to August 16, 1998 for annual maintenance and its first major equipment service since being upgraded last year. South African Currency Nosedives, June 28 1998 Unprecedented aid from the central banks of Britain and the United States failed to stem a collapse in the value of the South Africa's rand on world foreign exchange markets last week. The rand crashed 8% in value against the US dollar in 24 hours. Reports the Reserve Bank had enlisted the US Federal Reserve and Bank of England to bolster the flagging rand late on Friday failed to prevent its headlong slide and the currency touched 5.9605 in New York trade, from 5.42 on Thursday morning. The rand ended at 5.8700 against the dollar in New York on Friday, June 26, 1998 but will face a severe test on Monday, June 29 as speculators bet against the resolve of the central bank to pour its hard-won foreign exchange into a seemingly futile fray. New Cape National Park Officially Declared, June 28 1998 The Western Cape is home to the new Cape Peninsula National Park, following its official proclamation in early June. New International Airport Planned near Johannesburg, June 28 1998 A second international airport in the Johannesburg area has been planned to cope with future increases in international air traffic. Annual passenger flows were expected to escalate from the current 9 million at the nearly saturated Johannesburg International Airport, to more than 42 million by 2030. Situated at the old Dunnottar Air Force base between Springs and Nigel on the East Rand, the development of this 3 billion rand privately owned airport should be complete within the next five years. Oldest Human Footprints Sent To Museum, June 28 1998 The oldest human footprints ever discovered have been moved to the safety of the South African Museum in Cape Town following a major operation at Langebaan in the South African Cape this week. The 17,000 year old fossil, dubbed ''Eve's footprints'' by the South African media, were discovered in 1995 on the shores of the Langebaan lagoon. The prints are set in flaky sandstone and were made by a person about 5 foot, 3 inches tall. Scientists have speculated that they belonged to a woman. Archeologists believe that although much older footprints of apelike human ancestors exist, the fossils are the oldest prints made by anatomically modern humans. Since the discovery of the prints, there have been fears that they would deteriorate further with exposure to harsh winds and rain or be vandalized. However, this week's operation should ensure that they will remain intact. East African Coral Reefs Affected by Heat, June 28 1998 Unusually high sea temperatures have affected up to 70% of the coral reefs and other marine plants in the Indian Ocean coast of East Africa, a Kenyan scientist has said. Kenya Wildlife Service regional bio-diversity coordinator, Nyawira Muthiga, said in a statement Saturday that high temperatures attributed to the El Nino weather phenomenon have caused the brown and yellow coral to loose its color and turn pale or white, a condition known as bleaching. "Definitely, bleaching is a very stressful condition for corals as it causes them to lose about 80%of zooxanthellae, the algae which enables them manufacture up to 80 percent of their energy requirement," Muthiga said. She said most corals do not often recover from bleaching but lose their tissue and die. Muthiga said scientists from the Wildlife Service, the Kenya Coral Reef Conservation Project and the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute have recorded bleaching of up to 70 percent of all corals, sea anemones and giant clams in the reef lagoons and reef edges. She said researchers in Tanzania, the Seychelles and Madagascar are also recording bleaching, indicating that the phenomenon is widespread, and could be perhaps the largest ever recorded in the western Indian Ocean. Temperatures as high as 37 degrees Celsius in shallow reefs and 30 degrees Celsius in 25 meters of water were recorded in March and May this year, she said. Corals, which are like undersea forests, thrive at temperatures of between 26 and 27 degrees Celsius. Silent Giraffe Do Communicate Vocally, June 28 1998 For years scientists have known that blue whales, elephants and alligators produce infrasonic sounds, that humans can't hear. Now giraffe researchers have found that giraffe make several hundred infrasonic sounds. Variations in duration, frequency and amplitude seem to indicate the sounds are a means of communication, not just noise. Data even shows that the two groups of giraffes studied have their own dialect. The study of Elizabeth Von Muggenthaler and Randy Fulk was presented recently at the Conservation Research Consortium at Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo, a regional meeting of zoo biologists, field biologists and academics. Zimbabwe's Leading Hotel Set for Renovation, June 28 1998 Harare's Meikles Hotel, first opened in 1915, will spend an estimated Z$60 million this year on renovations to its ground floor and south wing, a spokeswoman for the hotel said this week. "Meikles Hotel plans to renovate every five years in order to maintain and keep up with international standards. The lounge area, which has now been completed, is an inviting place where the refined elegance complements the touch of Africa," said spokeswoman Georgina Godwin. Considered one of Africa's leading hotels, Meikles' renovations are expected to be complete by the end of the year. Malawi's Currency Continues Downward Slide, June 28 1998 Malawi's currency, the kwacha, continues to slide against the world's major currencies. The kwacha has now been pegged at 26.5 to the US dollar, a far cry from 15 at the same time in 1997. Four years ago, the kwacha was at 2.5 to the dollar. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
