ULTIMATE
AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive March 2000 South African Airways Upgrades Fleet, March 5 2000 South African Airways has announced that it will acquire 21 aircraft as part of a US $720 million dollar fleet upgrade from Boeing. The new fleet will see the country's national air carrier operating one of the most advanced fleets in the world, and the move is in line with its plans to increase its routes and number of flights into Africa. Coleman Andrews, the airline's chief executive, said that 10 aircraft would be leased while the remaining 11 would be purchased outright. Deliveries of the aircraft will begin in May. The airline has also acquired an option to purchase another 20 aircraft over the next 10 years. TOTAL Rescues Cape Town’s Table Mountain, March 5 2000 TOTAL South Africa has been among the first companies to respond to a call from South African minister Ronnie Kasrils, minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, to lend its support to Ukuvuka -- Operation Firestop in Cape Town. The campaign is aimed at the rehabilitation of the Table Mountain National Park that has been ravaged by fire recently. TOTAL has agreed to donate 4 million Rand (US $670,000) to Ukuvuka. The rehabilitation work will be carried out according to a strategy to be developed by the Cape Peninsula National Park. The main objective of the project will be to clear the Table Mountain area of alien plantation as well as to develop strategies to counter possible future fire hazards. TOTAL's commitment to environmental conservation over the years has been evident from its involvement in various conservation projects and its generous support for the projects undertaken by the working groups of the Endangered Wildlife Trust. World Gliding Championships coming to South Africa, March 5 2000 Mafeking in South Africa’s North West Province has been selected to host the 2001 World Gliding Championships in December next year. The North West Parks and Tourism Board says the provincial capital city beat tenders from countries such as Australia primarily because of its airfield, accompanying infrastructure and, most importantly, the fact that the task flying area is relatively free of airspace restrictions. Although the championships are planned for December next year, a trial event named Gyps Africanus, will be taking place in December this year. Fireworks over Cape Town, March 5 2000 The third Dunhill Symphony of Fire, a spectacular choreographed championship of light, color and sound by the world's top pyrotechnic experts, is set to dazzle crowds in both Gauteng and the Western Cape at a number of shows beginning at the end of March. Competition winners for the last two years, Spain, will battle Australia, Italy and South Africa for the best firework display starting at Roodepoort on March 23 then Cape Town on April 6. The South African team will launch 150 salvoes including a 35cm shell; strobe patterns, candles and sparklers, said a team member. Sossusvlei Lake Filled to Capacity, March 5 2000 Namibia’s Sossusvlei, the dry lake in the middle of the Namib Desert, is again filled to capacity as last seen only three years ago when it became one of the country's prime tourist attractions after heavy rains in 1997. When it's full, the lake which is surrounded by reportedly the highest sand dunes in the world attracts thousands of waterbirds and game such as kudu, oryx and ostrich to the desert. The river in the Sesriem Canyon is also filled to capacity after heavy rains. Lake Kariba Flood Gates Remain Open, March 5 2000 On Saturday the 26th of February, the Zambezi River Authority had no choice but to open 3 out of the 6 floodgates of the Kariba Dam Wall. It had originally been their intention to open the three gates for a 5 hour period and then to close two of these gates leaving one gate open for an indefinite period. With the large inflow of water via the middle Zambezi catchment area, causing the lake to rise at an alarmingly fast rate for this time of year, and with the inflows from the main catchment areas in northwestern Zambia and Angola still expected in May/June, the time period expected for these gates to remain open is indefinite. There may be a lull period between early March and late April in which time inflows may decrease but there are no firm time frames. The water level in the Kariba Gorge has risen by approximately 20 meters. The water level in the Zambezi valley below the Gorge has risen by 3 meters. This has resulted in the River pouring over its previous banks in some areas. Watercourses and channels that were silted up are now flowing. Where the river is still contained within the banks of the River the flow rate has at least doubled. There are, however, no rapids and although minor whirlpools and flow variances occur in areas, these are not enough to worry canoeists. All low islands have been covered, however new islands have formed. Substantial islands that were formed in previous flood times are still above the water level. This means that canoeing campsites will change however the distances traveled each day will not change much. Although the average rate of flow has increased it is not enough to change the number of days spent on this section of the river. No section of the river will be utilized unless tour operators are satisfied that safety standards are adequate. Rains Lash Parts of Zimbabwe, March 5 2000 Recent heavy rains in parts of Zimbabwe have received substantial international press. The main rains occurred in the eastern and southeastern parts of the country. Bvumba, Nyanga, Chiredzi, and to some extent Beit Bridge received record rainfall and high winds, which led to wind damage and flooding in some of the low lying rivers. The rain has subsided now and power and phone line connections have been re-established to the affected areas. The rain fall in the rest of the country has to date been below normal even though this is the height of the rainy season. Three gates at Lake Kariba Dam have been opened and will remain open for a several weeks, due to local and regional rivers spilling into the already full lake. Down river this has caused excitement for the lower Zambezi camps as the river is lapping the lawns at Ruckomechi, Chikwenya and Kayila lodges. The river has risen by an estimated 3 meters along this section of the valley. Southern Africa Receives Record Rains, March 5 2000 With two cyclones hitting the southern African subcontinent within the space of two weeks (unheard of in living memory) parts of southern Africa have had the most rainfall in possibly 50 years. The rains usually taper off over the next couple of weeks as the region heads into the dry season. Ruckomechi and Chikwenya Close for Safety, March 5 2000 The lower Zambezi is in full flood and the floodwaters are up to a meter of Ruckomechi’s lawns. Wilderness Safaris, which for the first time decided to keep both Ruckomechi and Chikwenya Camps open during the rainy season, have evacuated their staff as a matter of caution. Chikwenya will be closed for three weeks as a precaution. Hwange and Victoria Falls Saved from Rain, March 5 2000 Zimbabwe’s largest National Park, the 14,500 square kilometer Hwange National Park, has been saved from the brunt of the recent rains that lashed the region. The park has had good – but not destructive rains and the camps are operating normally. Victoria Falls has been getting patches of heavy rain. Botswana Flooding Limited, March 5 2000 Botswana has been in the news with the flooding - but this has been in the south of the country, around the Limpopo area. The floods there have been immense and the country has battled to cope. In the north, there have been heavy rains in patches but no real destruction. Botswana Water Update, March 5 2000 The water level at the top of the Okavango (just below the Namibian border in the "pan handle" of the Okavango) is less than expected. Levels are well below the 1984 and 1992 floods. The Okavango floodplains are quite full in areas from localized rains - especially around the Savuti Marsh, the Khwai area and in the eastern Moremi. There have been about 5 days of blue skies in Maun and everything is reverting to normal. However the water levels are confusing. At Vumbura the water levels are rising, but they are staying the same or dropping a fraction at Little Vumbura just around the corner! There is water lapping at the dining rooms at both Vumbura and Little Vumbura and both camps will close until the end of March so the dining rooms may be raised. The Botswana Parks Department have closed the southern part of Chobe from the Savuti Marsh to Moremi as well as the public areas of Moremi to the public. Environmental court proposed for Tanzania, March 5 2000 Tanzanian environmentalists are so concerned about environmental degradation in the country that they have proposed the establishment of a special environment court. The main aim of this court will be to bring environmental offenders to book. The country's conservationists believe that legislation dealing with environmental issues is outdated and said that very few environmental cases are being reported to the courts. When prosecution is carried out, the penalties are very low. In addition, some aspects such as air pollution and hazardous waste management are not addressed at all by existing legislation. Another major problem is deforestation, which is not addressed sufficiently. CITES Bends Own Regulations, March 12 2000 The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) may soon come under attack for bending its own rules regarding international ivory trade. A major Cites conference slotted for Nairobi in April will among others look at whether the international custodian of endangered species was acting against its own resolutions. The meeting will be held at the Unep headquarters from April 10-20, 2000. It will discuss whether the decisions of the 10th Cites Conference for a "one off" permission granted to three Southern African countries of Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to trade their ivory stocks with Japan was conducted on the basis of the conditions laid down in the relevant conference resolutions. It will also discuss whether the Cites standing committee acted correctly in allowing the trade to go ahead before the critical monitoring and control mechanisms had been put in place. Also to be discussed is the issue of whether the Cites Secretariat acted correctly to receive and recommend new "proposals" to extend the "experimental" international trade to other African range States at a time when the recommended monitoring program is still not yet in place. Decisions of Cites are to be based on the biological well being of the species and whether the decision might impact negatively on the continued survival of the species in question. It appears that the Harare decision to resume limited international ivory trade sent the wrong signals to smuggling cartels -- that trade in ivory was once more fashionable and ivory acquired legally or illegally could once more be traded. Ivory which had been acquired illegally but had been pushed underground by the 1989 trade ban has resurfaced and has started to be moved to the east in the hope of getting markets in Japan and elsewhere. At the Nairobi April Conference, new proposals to expand international trade in ivory from countries like South Africa will be on the agenda to be discussed and approved if enough support is forthcoming. Botswana To Seek Ivory Sale At CITES Meeting, March 12 2000 At the 10-day CITES conference opening April 10, 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya, the southern Africa country of Botswana is to seek permission to sell more ivory to dispose of existing stockpiles. The country's wildlife and national parks deputy director, Joseph Matlhare, was quoted as saying that Botswana would suggest selling the stocks at an annual quota of 12 tons. Botswana has Africa's largest elephant population estimated at 106,000. This is far above the country’s environmental carrying capacity, which, according to wildlife authorities, is 50,000 elephant. Botswana's intentions are set to collide with the desires of east African preservationists who have been complaining that elephant poaching has increased in their game parks since Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were allowed to sell part of the ivory stockpiles. Ivory Sale will Boost Socio-economic Upliftment in South Africa, March 12 2000 South Africa's socio-economic upliftment program could benefit by at least R30-million (US $5 million) if the country's proposal for a one-off sale of stockpiled ivory is allowed by CITES. Dr. Anthony Hall-Martin, SA National Parks director of conservation and development, said: "By granting permission for the sale, CITES will contribute indirectly to the South African government's spending on areas such as welfare and education as all the money raised from the sale of whole ivory tusks to Japan will not have to be provided for by state funding." Dr Hall-Martin estimated the proceeds of the sale between R25-million and R30-million. The entire proceeds will go to the SA National Parks for elephant conservation. Kenya Wildlife Service Lobbying for Ban on Ivory Trade, March 12 2000 The Kenya Wildlife Service, the KWS, is lobbying for a total ban on ivory trade at the April meeting of the Conference on International Trade in Endangered Species. It says last year alone it lost 67 elephants after Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe were allowed one-off sales of stored ivory stocks, compared to an average of less than 15 in recent years. The three countries, now joined by South Africa, are hoping the April meeting will allow them to sell more of their ivory stockpiles and are dismissing talk of resurgence in poaching. Environmentalists say poachers decimated about 600,000 African elephants in the 1980s -- or around half the total population -- before the ban on ivory trade was imposed in 1989. Kenyan Villagers say they Will Kill Straying Elephants, March 12 2000 Villagers living on the slopes of Kenya's highest mountain are threatening to poison elephants that are destroying their crops if the authorities do not protect the locals. Charles Githinji, 54, who has farmed all his life 110 miles north of the capital Nairobi, says he has not spent a peaceful week since last August. Elephants, hitherto peaceful neighbors on densely forested Mount Kenya, have ruined crops and decades-old fruit trees while the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), responsible for wildlife conservation in Kenya, looks on, he said. "If the KWS does not keep them where they are supposed to be we will kill them. We will poison them," Githinji told Reuters, a few days after the huge mammals wandered onto his two-acre farm and wreaked havoc. "I have lost bananas, yams, avocados, pineapples, cassavas and many other crops like sugar cane. They are all destroyed. I have nothing left," he said. He particularly mourned the loss of his avocado trees, which he said were about 20 years old. The elephants are part of a 2,000-strong herd that wildlife officials say roams Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak, and the surrounding forest, which is also, home to large herds of buffalo and antelope. Local KWS officials and conservation experts blame a prolonged dry season, illegal logging and live fire drills by British army troops training on the edge of the mountain for the elephants' nocturnal sojourns into surrounding farms. "It is mainly due to human activities being carried out in the forest, legal or illegal," Muteru Wathuta, the KWS district warden said. "We have illegal tree-cutting, especially of the camphor tree which falls over a wide area and takes other trees with it, thus removing cover for the animals." He said the KWS was considering erecting a fence around the area but the cost was prohibitive, with a kilometer costing upwards of one million shillings (US $13,500). About 400 kms (250 miles) would need to be fenced. Hilde Vanleeuw, who has studied elephant movements around Mount Kenya, said that with a density of just 1.5 animals per square kilometer, numbers were clearly not the reason for the movement of the elephants. "The mountain can sustain quite a number of elephants. The elephants come down to the shamba (field) levels to get to the salt lakes on the lower slopes," she told Reuters. Elephant Hunting May Go Ahead, March 12 2000 Indications are that the controversial new policy to allow elephant hunting in the Kruger National Park is likely to go ahead but it could take another year before it is implemented. A source from South Africa’s premier park said yesterday that the issue was being handled "with great caution" by government and the park authorities. Up to now hunting has been strictly forbidden in any of SA's national parks. But the Makuleke community successfully reclaimed land in the Kruger park in 1998 and wanted to sell elephant hunting rights to generate money to develop their new stake in conservation. At the start of the year the community was locked in negotiations with a Northern Province safari company to buy the hunting rights, but the sale has so far failed to go ahead. When the land was returned to the Makuleke in 1998, SA National Parks agreed to give the community a stake in conservation and the park's lucrative tourism operations. Tourism director-general Chippy Olver said after visiting the park last month that any commercial activities would be based on a conservation management plan by the park's joint management committee and the Makuleke community for comment. The source said this was a very tedious process. Film on Hold after Elephant Cut off by Floods, March 12 2000 An international wildlife documentary has been delayed after the severe floods that devastated much of the Park cut off its star, a Kruger National Park elephant. The TV crew had attached a R600,000 (US $100,000) remote-controlled TV camera to her back just before the floods struck, so they could film life through an elephant's eyes for the Discovery Channel. "Never before has anyone been able to see through an elephant's eyes without intrusive human involvement," explained owner of the SA Natural History Unit that is filming the one-hour documentary, Gareth Pyne-James. But when the floods struck, the crew could no longer track Elle, as they've named her, as roads in the park became impassable and weather conditions prevented helicopter flights. The signal can only be tracked if the crew is in a mobile unit or helicopter within a certain distance of her. The elephant and her calves had also been separated from their family herd when the Sabie River burst its banks. "We decided it was better to remove the camera temporarily and not subject her to any more unnecessary stress," said producer, Tracey Harding. When a team of Kruger Park vets caught up with Elle 70km east of Skukuza near the Mozambican border, she and her calves had joined a herd of about 80 elephants that had moved to higher ground. The microwave antenna had broken off the camera and its outer case was muddied and slightly damaged. The camera will be slightly modified and attached to her later once the worst of the flooding is over and the roads are accessible again. The documentary is scheduled to go on air in July and be broadcast to 142 countries in 24 languages. Footage will also be placed on Discovery's website. Plans for Chimpanzee Sanctuary moving ahead, March 12 2000 Pop star Michael Jackson has donated funds to help establish a sanctuary for abused chimpanzees in the Kromdraai Valley close to the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa. Dr. Jane Goodall, world-renowned authority on chimpanzees, was in South Africa last year to promote plans for the establishment of the sanctuary. Rovos Rail Introduces New Durban-Pretoria Service, March 12 2000 One of the world's most luxurious trains, South Africa's Rovos Rail has announced the launch of a new schedule between Durban and Pretoria which includes 55 hours on the train, a bush dinner under the stars and open vehicle game drives in three uniquely different game reserves. The 'Edwardian Pride of Africa' departs Durban station at 9:00 AM on a Monday and winds its way through the beautiful rolling hills and cane fields to arrive at the village of Hluhluwe in Zululand at 3:30 PM. Passengers will enter the Hluhluwe Game Reserve at 4:00 PM. From there the train will enter the Kingdom of Swaziland early on Tuesday arriving at the Mkhaya Game Reserve. Guests will be taken on a game drive at 04:00 PM and depart for Mpumalanga province in South Africa the next morning at 9:30 AM. On arrival at Malelane at 3:15 PM, guests will be taken on a last game drive through the Kruger National Park, followed by a bush dinner. The train departs Malelane at 9:00 PM and slowly ascends the escarpment to arrive in Waterval Boven for an overnight stop. At 7:00 AM on Wednesday the train departs and climbs through the Drakensberg escarpment towards Belfast, the highest point on this railway line at 6,463 feet. The train arrives at its final destination in Pretoria at 3:00 PM on Wednesday. Ndumo Camp Closes Temporarily, March 12 2000 Wilderness Safaris reports that Ndumo Wilderness Camp in South Africa’s Northern Natal province has been temporarily closed until April 1, 2000 in the interest of guest experience and ecological impact to the surrounding areas. This follows the extensive rains that have fallen in the catchment area of the Usutu River within Swaziland that caused the Ndumo Reserve to flood. The reserve needs a chance to recover before Ndumo Wilderness Camp reopens. Rocktail Bay Lodge on the coast has not been affected and remains open. Zimbabwe’s Save Conservancy Returns to Normal, March 12 2000 Water levels in Zimbabwe’s Save Conservancy (south eastern part of the country) is returning to normal as the Save River and others that broke their banks started to recede. Mahenye Lodge was flooded and is due to reopen in April following refurbishments. Its sister camp Chilo, being on higher ground escaped unscathed. Jacana Camp on the river was flooded as was Hammond's Cams. Most other lodges are still up and running. Gonarezhou National Park is accessible from the north, but not from the south as both ends of the Chipinda Pools bridge were destroyed. Mana Pools Update, March 12 2000 With Lake Kariba’s floodgates open the lower Zambezi River which flows past Mana Pools in Zimbabwe has risen dramatically, but not to flood proportions as in Mozambique. In Mana Pools, the river has not broken its banks, but many channels that have been dry or cut off from the river for many years, are now reconnected. The hippo have mostly moved from mainstream to side channels, and most waterbuck and buffalo have swum to the mainland. Rainfall has been slightly below average due to a late start, yet the bush has flourished. Grass cover is dense and very extensive which is always a healthy sign. A number of elephant breeding herds have been attracted by the grass and good numbers of impala, zebra, waterbuck, baboon, vervets and several buffalo have been seen recently. Lion were also present so some game may have moved off. Birding has been excellent as the migrants are all here. The bush is lush and green - a total change to the hot dusty and brown of the dry season. Floods Bring out Nature’s Beauty in Southern Africa, March 12 2000 The devastating floods that have brought misery to Mozambique have had the unexpected result of creating extraordinary natural sights that are attracting visitors to other parts of southern Africa. Unusually heavy rains in Namibia have brought lilies and other flowers into spectacular bloom in the middle of the usually barren desert, creating a scene only seen twice before in the last 20 years. The opening of three floodgates at the Kariba Dam in Zimbabwe has attracted sightseers. The gates don't open very often and it creates spectacular plumes of water. The heavy rains had not affected the area around Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and white-water rafting continues as does canoeing on the lower Zambezi River. Tanzania Surpasses Earnings from Tourism Sector, March 12 2000 Tanzania’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism noted that tourism earnings had surpassed projected earnings from the tourism sector by 2.7 billion Tanzanian shillings. Ms, Zakia Meghji, Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism told the press in Dar Es Salaam yesterday that her ministry has realized a total of shillings 11.2 billion from the projection of shillings 8.5 billion. The number of tourists increased to 482,000 in 1999 from 359,000 in 1998. The minister said that the ministry would by June this year realize, a target of collecting shillings 13.7 billion and that already shillings 6.8 billion have been collected. Tourism is one of the Tanzanian governments top priority’s. The country has twelve national parks, 30 game reserves and numerous historical sites, which have been recognized, as world heritage sites. Kenyan Hotels to Create No Smoking Areas, March 12 2000 Kenya's hospitality industry will launch an international program this week to accommodate the preferences of smokers and non-smokers in the country's hotels. The program sponsored by the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers has been dubbed "the Courtesy of Choice". The program is meant to create smoking and non-smoking zones in hospitality establishments through the use of existing ventilation systems and airflows. The areas are appropriately designated, using signs and table cards for the convenience of guests and tourists. In Kenya's capital Nairobi, several major hotels including the Hilton Hotel and Nairobi Safari Club are already running the program on a voluntary and self-regulatory basis. Peter Nduru, chief executive of the association, said that the initiative is one of the measures taken by the country's hospitality industry to revitalize the lagging tourism sector. Daily Flights between Harare – Nairobi, March 19 2000 From April 1, 2000 Kenya Airways will operate daily flights between Harare, Zimbabwe and Nairobi, Kenya. The aircraft to be used on this route are Airbuses and 737s. From Nairobi passengers have a choice of immediate onward connections to Europe, the Middle East and America, including 14 direct flights weekly to Amsterdam, seven to London and six to Dubai. The growth of Kenya Airways is reflected in the introduction of six aircraft, three Boeing 767-300 ER and three Boeing 767- 400 ERX. The deliveries are planned for summer 2001 through 2004. In addition at least four Boeing 737-700s will join the Kenya Airways fleet between June 2001 and February 2003. To meet the increasing operational and service requirements, the airline has recruited 16 new pilots and is in the process of hiring over 150 in-flight and ground service staff. Managing Director Richard Nyaga said that the airline’s growth plans were on schedule and reflected the airline’s strategy to position itself as the carrier of choice in Africa operating from the Nairobi hub Kariba Dam Update, March 19 2000 Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba is officially full. Authorities have had 3 floodgates open (for the first time in nearly 20 years) for nearly 2 weeks and this is obviously impacting the Zambezi River below the dam wall. The Zambezi below the dam has risen by between 3 and 4 meters broadening the river to such a degree as to have had only minimal impact on the speed at which the river (or current) is flowing. This is good news for canoeists. Because the river is now flowing into all the ancient channels that link the many inland pools groups can now canoe right into Mana Pools. For those of you that know the area well, this means that groups can actually canoe right into Long Pool! Canoe Safari Upgrades for 2000, March 19, 2000 Classic Africa Safaris who operate the Mukuyu Canoe Safari on the Zambezi River past Mana Pools have given their canoe equipment a complete facelift for the year 2000. They have procured new spacious tents with more comfortable (and bigger) folding beds, luggage racks, towel stands and rechargeable lanterns for lighting. For the first time each tent will have an en suite toilet. The wash basin and mirror will remain out front of the tent with the shared shower cubicles enjoying scenic views across the Zambezi. Bid to Sell Elephant Ivory Backed, March 19 2000 Ministers from the fourteen-nation Southern African Development Community have unanimously backed a proposal to sell stockpiles of elephant ivory. An adviser to the South African government says the countries of the region now have a unified position on the controversial issue of ivory sales. The proposal, which is opposed by Kenya and by animal welfare groups, will be submitted to CITES for approval. CITES gave permission for ivory sales to Japan last year, breaking a ten year ban on the trade. Supporters of the sales say there is no evidence that they lead to elephant poaching, and point out that the money raised goes into conservation projects. Will Kruger Park Shoot Elephants?, March 19 2000 Last week the Mail & Guardian newspaper reported that the park planned to cull between 400 and 1,000 elephants over the next five years in a population control exercise. This, according to the newspaper, was in terms of the park's new elephant management plan, disclosed last week. South African tourism Minister Valli Moosa said that culling was merely an option. "There is no significant culling of elephants planned at this stage. We cannot and will not be rushed into something like this, but it is sensible to keep it open as a management option," he said. Eight decades ago South Africa had a mere 120 elephants. Today the country has about 12,000 of the animals, of which 9,000 are in the Kruger Park. In some places there are too many - hence the possibility of culling. In the rest of Africa, it is estimated there are about 600,000 elephants, a very favorable situation compared with a decade ago when international trade in ivory was stopped. But culling, Moosa said, needed a high degree of public support before it could go ahead. The park's specialist scientist on herbivores at Skukuza, Ian Whyte, is responsible for devising the new elephant management plan. Whyte said culling was the second option after moving the animals: "It (culling) is controversial and is the subject of debate in conservation circles. There has been no culling of elephants since 1994." No one has said culling will go ahead. Then again, no one has ruled it out. A document detailing the new program states that of central concern is the conservation of biodiversity, which cannot be neglected to the advantage of a single species. "The species might reach numbers that the habitat cannot sustain. While most species adapt to changing conditions by changing their reproductive patterns, the elephant changes its source of food while reproducing at the same rate - thereby exacerbating any imbalances in nature. Our plan acknowledges that ecosystems are not static and that the right number of elephants can boost biodiversity," said Whyte. Since the mid-1980s Kruger Park management has followed a translocation program with the assistance of sponsors from both the private sector and nongovernmental organizations. In the 18 years up to last year, a total of 1,626 elephants were moved from the Kruger National Park. The big majority of the animals were sent to reserves inside the country, with 90 going overseas. Relocating elephants is still the preferred option to keep numbers under control. This, however, does have its own problems due to the limited range of habitat suitable to elephants in South Africa. South African National Parks' director of conservation development Anthony Hall-Martin said that the park's had taken no decision on the matter of culling. Hall-Martin said the new elephant management plan would result in a "massive increase" in the elephant population, from 9,000 to nearly 20,000 in the next 20 years. "While the removal of elephants from designated zones within the park was discussed, no mention was made of a resumption of killing of elephants next year. Alternatives to killing animals, such as translocation, would be pursued before any resumption of killing," he said. According to South African National Parks CE Mavuso Msimang, the Eastern Cape is preparing to take 50 to 100 of the park's animals for its Fish River complex. "This will go some way towards immediate relief for the sensitive botanical reserves in the north and south of the park." Appeal for Stranded Ugandan Elephants, March 19 2000 A leading conservationist in Uganda has appealed for funding to relocate a dozen elephants stranded in a heavily populated central area of the country. Robby Robinson, executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), says at least US $200,000 is needed. "In conjunction with Tourism Minister Brigadier Moses Ali, the UWA is appealing to organizations, both international donors and non-governmental organizations, to raise money to translocate the remaining elephants," Mr. Robinson said. The 18 animals were separated from the main herd as it migrated north. Farmers in the Luwero region 62 miles north of Kampala, have been protesting angrily about the elephants' incursions into their fields in search of food. Several people are reported to have been killed trying to shoo them away. If the necessary funds are not raised, the elephants will be humanely killed. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni told farmers in the region that police should shoot the elephants and let residents feast on their meat. "If we can't take them out, then we kill them and these people eat the meat," President Museveni said. For centuries, elephants have migrated along a corridor between central Uganda and Sudan. Ecologists say an increase in human settlement and the use of land for agricultural purposes are cutting into this path. Survival of Tanzania's Coastal Forests Uncertain, March 19 2000 Forests in the proximity of Tanzania’s coastal cities have little chance of survival and experts have called for increased conservation, especially of natural forests. Studies carried out by researchers including Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA) and the Center for Energy, Environment, Science and Technology (CEEST) reveal that a number of Tanzania’s coastal forests have been ruined by human activities. Over 80% of Tanzania's industries are along the Coast and local populations depend largely on charcoal and firewood from the forests for home use. Other studies indicate that over 400,000 hectares of Tanzanian forest are razed yearly on account of exploitation for energy and materials, often linked to poverty. Research indicates that Tanzania has an estimated 44.5 million hectares of forests and woodlands. Of this, about 1.5 million hectares are of closed forest and mangroves, and 43 million hectares of open woodlands. Some researchers say that if deforestation is left unchecked, in 50 years to come over 50% of Tanzania will turn into desert. Solar Eclipse Plans for 2001, March 26 2000 For those of you interested in witnessing the June 21, 2001 solar eclipse in southern Africa there is an exciting new option! A Rovos Rail train has been chartered and a 6 day itinerary designed. The journey starts the night of the June 17 at the Mount Grace outside of Johannesburg. Here guests will enjoy a safari orientation as well as fascinating lectures on the "Origins of Man" centered on the newly proclaimed "World Heritage" site in the area. The train will pick the guests up the next morning at the Magaliesberg terminal around the corner and head for Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and then into Southern Zambia into the belt of the total eclipse. The train will return to Victoria Falls on the morning of the June 22 and guests can continue on their way. An astronomer will be on board as well a professional guide. The tour will cost US$3,450 per person. For bookings, please contact our office at info@ultimateafrica.com Botswana Safari Camp / Lodge / Wildlife Update, March 26 2000 Wilderness Safaris management recently toured their Botswana properties and gave the following report: Flying over the Kalahari to Maun recently the countryside was the greenest that we have ever seen it. There is lush grassland everywhere. The main area of the flooding reported on the news is down in the south-east of the country along the Limpopo's tributaries and we could see that quite clearly from the air. To the east of our flight path, we could see the Makgadikgadi salt pans and they are filled with water. Even the Boteti River, (the main outlet for the Okavango into the Makgadikgadi), was full. The whole of Botswana has gone through a regeneration with all this wonderful rain that we have been having. From Maun we flew past Chitabe, and we could see how much the flood plains have risen around the camp. Chitabe will be able to offer mekoro outings this year, although the camps main focus will continue to be on day and night time game drives and walks. The dry islands to the west and east of Chitabe are massive. We then flew eastwards over the Gomoti River and the south-eastern part of the Moremi. The water level in this part of the Okavango is the highest it has been in the last 15 years. With the water this high I doubt if this area is going to be able to be used for quite some time. The water levels in the Moremi Hippo Pools area need to drop considerably, before vehicles will be able to access the eastern part of Moremi. There were rumors circulating in Maun that the Savuti Channel had pushed five kilometers down the channel from its source. We flew over the Savuti channel with high hopes that we would be seeing the Savuti flowing. It was not to be! However the Zibadianja lagoon was filled to its capacity and there is a little bit of water pushing down the Savuti. If any of you who have been there can remember the old Pole Bridge, just "downstream" of Zibadianja, the water has pushed from the lagoon to just short of that pole bridge. Will the Savuti flow this year? I think there is a good chance, but this will only happen in a few months time if at all. If it does it will only push a few kilometers down the Savuti. Our first stop was Duma Tau. The camp has been open right through the summer months and has just been closed for a couple of weeks for refurbishment. It needs a bit of work to freshen it up and we will be bringing in new furniture to give DumaTau that sparkle it needs for the season. We will be increasing the size of the pool deck to accommodate dinners under the stars and this is being built right now. Whilst we were in camp a pack of wild dogs came charging through on the hunt and they were trying to bring down some of the resident impala. Our managers for this season at Duma Tau will be Christof and Marlene. The next day we moved on up towards Savuti Camp. We drove up the channel to look at all the water holes and came across the fresh remains of a cheetah kill, which the guests at Savuti had watched that morning. The vultures were finishing off the rest of the carcass. Our new camp managers at Savuti this year are Christo and Debbie. Savuti is open and is really looking fresh and ready for the new season. All the woodwork has been painted and the camp is looking stunning. There is a new deck in front of the water hole (between the pub and the dinning room) where the guests have dinners and breakfasts out under the dappled shade and stars. This is a favorite eating area with all the guests. Two of the rooms have outdoor bathrooms and the other three rooms have bathrooms within the tents. Those three rooms have wonderful new outdoor showers. From Savuti we drove through to Kings Pool, and we had the only thunderstorm for the five days that we were up there. I believe that part of the reason why this summer's safaris have been so successful is that showers have been hard but isolated - and then we have had clear weather so guests were able to enjoy their safaris. Between Kings Pool and Savuti there is a lot of woodland, and we saw four or five groups of elephants in the hours drive. Some were small bachelor herds and some were larger breeding herds. There is very little elephant movement along the banks of the Linyanti right now and most of the elephants are in the woodlands in the interior. Kings Pool has had its refurbishment for the season and is looking really, really good. The camp has changed its colors from a cream exterior to an attractive deep terracotta color, which fits in very well with the surroundings and gives the camp a more earthy feel. The new hide at the western end of the camp is a fantastic feature. Guests who want to wile away their midday's can spend their time in this hide. Alex who runs the camp, told us that towards the end of last year when the hide was completed, guests spent many hours in this hide surrounded by elephants, sable etc, all coming down to drink at the lagoon in front of the hide. The other feature that was added last season is the outdoor Kgotla (boma). This was built on the western end of the camp and has the most fantastic view looking over the flood plains. It is one of the most attractive bomas that I have seen anywhere. The staff were saying that guests get a fantastic view over the plains with the elephants walking around while enjoying their meals safely in the boma. Kings Pool's rooms have all been freshened up and look really great, with doors on the tents and also doors on the entrance way, so no more cumbersome zips. The honeymoon suite has the most stunning outdoor bath I have seen anywhere and each of the other units has a wonderful outdoor shower. Kings Pool has settled down nicely now and has a great feel to it. Guests we met there were raving. We did not get a chance to go to Linyanti Tented Camp on this trip, although the staff tells me that Linyanti Tented Camp had just been erected for the season again and was looking stunning. The guests in all the Linyanti camps had been seeing lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah on a regular basis. Elephant herds will only start to come down to the Linyanti River once the pans in the interior dry up later this year, but we do have lots of smaller groups in the Linyanti woodlands at the moment. From the Linyanti we flew along the Selinda to the Okavango Delta and Vumbura. The top of the Selinda is already flowing eastwards very heavily with waters coming in from the top of the Okavango. We flew around the Vumbura area and were surprised at how much water there was in the flood plains. Even the airfield even had water close to it. Upon landing we were picked up by vehicle and within the first five minutes came across a fresh cheetah kill. Hyenas had just pushed off the cheetah and were tucking in. The access into the two Vumbura camps will change this year as we cannot drive all the way to camp. We are leaving the vehicle half way between the airstrip and camp and we are either boating or mekoroing guests into camp. While the water levels are high we will be boating, but if the water levels drop we will then be coming in by mokoro. It is about a 15 minute boat ride or a thirty minute mokoro ride into Vumbura Camp and slightly longer for Little Vumbura. Personally, it is a much nicer way to access Vumbura and one really gets the feeling of being in an extremely isolated and remote location. We accessed camp by mokoro past a herd of lechwe and I felt wonderfully tranquil on arrival in camp. Vumbura itself is not too badly affected by the floods. All the rooms now have outdoor showers, so guests can choose between showers inside the tents and outdoor showers. We then headed to Little Vumbura. Its jetty is about 4 inches underwater, as is the one part of the pub. There was a bream swimming in the pub waiting to be made into sushi! The new jetty will be raised about half a meter and we will do the same for the dining room and the lounge/pub. The little outdoor gazebo/sala will be dismantled completely and we will make an outdoor "sala" on the other side of the dining room underneath the shade of huge garcinia trees. There is a very high area there, which will be ideal for an outdoor reading etc. Otherwise the rest of the camp should be fine, and unaffected by the floods. All the rooms have outdoor showers, which were built at the end of last year. The "new" Little Vumbura will also open on June 1, 2000. Activities at both camps will be boating, mekero trips, walks and drives. To get to the driving area in the peak of the floods guests will travel by boat or mokoro to where we will be leaving the vehicles. So our night drives could be a bit restricted, as we will be coming back to camp after the dark by boat. From Vumbura we flew across to Jao Camp. This was the first time that I had landed at the new airfield. It is well built and can take planes up to a King Air in size! The airfield is about a five-minute drive to a boat station. The guest’s transfer from the vehicles onto boats, where a quiet 4 stroke powered boat takes guests to the camp. This camp has settled down incredibly well. I met a "Zoo" group who had booked out the entire camp, and the guests had smiles from ear to ear. The area is pumping full of game, lions, leopards, lots of plain game and on top of this some of the best accommodation anywhere. What has changed this camp are the new raised walkways. So the steps are no longer a factor. The new raised walkways have been finished from room 1 to 6. Just the last two room's walkways need to be finished off and this will be completed shortly. Other than that the camp has settled down well and the area is truly lush and stunning. The activities include mekoros, drives, boats and night drives. All the little things, which need to be done to round off the camp and finish it off, have been done. Some of the furniture has been changed to being more practical and more comfortable. This camp is truly one of the best in Botswana. From there we drove on to Kwetsani, although this is one of the last times that the route will be driven for a long time. From now until the floods drop guests will be boated from the airstrip at Jao through to Kwetsani. It is about a 45-minute boat trip and it takes the guests through some of the most beautiful flood plains. Zebra, wildebeest and lechwe dot the flood plains all the way to Kwetsani and the trip into camp is an exhilarating game experience. Kwetsani has settled down exceptionally well after its busy building period last year. The camp took our breath away. It is a wonderful ten-bedded camp in a really remote corner of the Delta. As we arrived we saw lion on the islands close to Kwetsani. Peter Allison is the manager there for the month until Grant gets back off leave. There are two different prides of lion on Kwetsani Island right now. The island is on one of the larger islands in the area and two prides have taken up residency and are providing a huge amount of wildlife excitement for our guests. The night before they had killed and the two prides had a fight in camp over the prey. The roaring in camp was deafening. There are also four little cubs amongst these lions. The views from each one of the rooms looks out onto massive flood-plains to the east and there are always huge herds of wildebeest and lechwe in front of camp. Addy, the hostess in the camp, has only been there a month, has already seen five different lion stalks from the decks in front of camp. Kwetsani has a new pool out in front, which has to be the best pool in the entire Wilderness group. This pool is going to have an extended deck and dinners will be enjoyed under the stars on a regular basis. We spent a night at Mombo Trials and had a look at the "new" Mombo. This is going to be an incredible camp and a lot of the building work is underway. The "new" Mombo has the entire camp raised off the ground so every unit has fantastic views onto the flood plains. The "new" Mombo is divided into Little Mombo and Main Mombo, although there are three dinning rooms between the two camps. In theory, we could accommodate three small groups and host them and entertain them separately. All the rooms at both main new Mombo and Little Mombo will be identical. The game in that area has been awesome and guests have been raving. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, dogs, buffalo, all the plains game and small groups of elephants have been the norm at Mombo all through the summer season. We flew over Xigera and from the air, the camp looks incredible. The new Xigera is built on the eastern side of the island (on the opposite side to where we had the tents before) and overlooks this fantastic water hole which is chock-a-block full of water at the moment. The walkways are finished and the tents are up. Xigera's opening date has been pushed from the April 1 to May 1, just to make sure that it will be perfect for the first guests. We then flew back to Maun, spent some time in the Maun office in the new visitor's area. It has really settled down nicely and we are encouraging all guests to come across and use the guest lounge before flying out on Air Botswana. There are showers and guests can clean up if they need to, before flying out at the end of their safari. My overall impression of Botswana and the Okavango this year is that there is going to be a very high water level in the Okavango this year - but not because of the floods. The floods coming in from central Africa are in fact quite low. The ground is saturated and the floods will be able to travel quickly through the Delta and cover areas, which have not been flooded for many many years. This will make the Delta an incredibly attractive area for the guests. Game viewing was surprisingly good, we saw lion, leopard, wild dog, elephant, buffalo and two different cheetah kills - without going on one game drive. All we were doing was transiting from camp to camp. Direct Flights London – Victoria Falls Delayed, March 26 2000 Air Zimbabwe’s plans to introduce a weekly direct flight between London and Victoria Falls have been delayed pending an evaluation of all the technical requirements by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ). Godfrey Manhambara, the chief executive of CAAZ confirmed that the authority had received an application from Air Zimbabwe to allow it to operate weekly scheduled services through Victoria Falls using a Boeing 767 aircraft. He confirmed that following this request, a technical task force consisting of both Air Zimbabwe and CAAZ personnel has been set up to assess the technical requirements of the proposed operation. CAAZ, which is currently engaged in a proposal to upgrade Victoria Falls Airport to allow wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 767 and Boeing 747 to operate through VFA, welcomed the move by the airline which, they stated, would enhance the flow of tourism into Zimbabwe New Hotel for Victoria Falls, March 26 2000 A Zimbabwean hospitality concern, trading as Lobengula Lodge, has revealed plans to establish a 57-bed three star hotel joint venture in Victoria Falls. A fully-serviced tract of prime land measuring 6,500 square meters has apparently been secured from the Victoria Falls municipality for the project, which has also received approval from the Zimbabwe Investment Center. This is the second hotel project proposed in the area following the announcement last year by Cresta Hospitality that it would set up a 5-star hotel in Victoria Falls. Zimbabwe Lodge takes Top Eco Award, March 26 2000 Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls Safari Lodge has emerged as one of the big winners at the ITB Travel and Tourism World Trade Fair in Berlin after being awarded the New Member Green Globe Distinction Award for outstanding environmental performance. The winners were assessed on their environmental performance against each of the 21 areas which have been defined for the tourism industry by the World Travel and Tourism Council, World Tourism Organization and the Earth Council. Victoria Falls Safari Lodge was selected for creating the lodge which, using thatch, local hardwoods and commercially grown eucalyptus poles, was built to ensure that the site remained ecologically sound and undisturbed. Green Globe further noted that the lodge had initiated an excellent example of sustainable development partnerships with indigenous people. Rural Zimbabweans Benefit from Ivory Sales, March 26 2000 When peasant Amos Muleya was bitten by a black mamba while tending his cotton crop at Sinakoma near Binga, Zimbabwe, he had to trudge through wildlife-infested bush to reach Binga Rural District Hospital, 70 km away, for treatment. "I am alive today by the grace of God," Muleya said last week, showing reporters his swollen left leg still recovering from the snakebite. "I limped through the long distance despite the pain. I don't know where I got the strength, but I would have been a dead man now had I not done so," he told reporters on a tour of the region. Muleya, like most subsistence farmers here, laments the lack of nearby health facilities in one of Zimbabwe's poorest and remotest regions. But all this is destined to change shortly, thanks to the Communal Areas Management Program For Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE), an enterprising rural-based development plan launched by the Zimbabwe government in 1989 with the help of aid agencies to promote natural resources utilization, including wildlife, by villagers. CAMPFIRE has just allocated Sinakoma villagers $300,000 Zimbabwe dollars (US $8,000) to build a clinic that will serve about 9,400 people in the area. More funds will be pumped into the village to buy medical equipment. The money bankrolling the 30-bed Sinakoma Clinic is part of proceeds from the one-off sale of ivory conducted by Zimbabwe in April last year in which a total of $125 million Zimbabwe dollars (US $3.3 million) was netted. Muleya and fellow villagers seem perplexed why some Western countries are against Zimbabwe's efforts to cull elephants and use the proceeds to help villagers in these areas and build more water-drinking reservoirs for the elephants. Herds of elephant, which roam in nearby national parks of Chete, Sijarira and Chizarira, are destroying the villager's cotton and maize fields, Muleya says. And in the past three years, three people here have been killed by the marauding jumbos. Village head Wilson Sikaphutha said, "We have a lot of elephants that are wreaking havoc on people and crops. We think we should be allowed to cull some so we can develop our area. The government does not have enough resources so trade in ivory should be allowed. "We are not saying all the elephants here should be killed. No, we want elephant herds in Binga reduced through culling and the money earned poured back into the communities." Eyeing Muleya's swollen leg and the clinic building that is reaching roof-level, Sikaphutha added, "We are grateful to CAMPFIRE. People here will no longer have to travel long distances to seek medical attention." Although Sinakoma Clinic will only be ready for use mid-year, the villagers here are among thousands of rural folk in Zimbabwe who have benefited directly from the experimental sale of ivory, allowed by CITES three years ago after a ban running for decades. Zimbabwe, still with 24,000 kilograms of ivory, wants to be allowed to dispose of the rest through regular sales and continue with the CAMPFIRE project. When Zimbabwe attends next month's meeting of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) in Kenya's capital Nairobi, it will use the world-acclaimed program as an example on how trade in ivory has economically benefited rural people. It will also argue that proceeds from sales of ivory will help the cash-strapped Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management in its elephant conservation as well as the upkeep of national parks that are home to 84,000 elephants. Zimbabwean National Parks officials want the elephant population reduced by about 30,000 because they are too many and are destroying the habitat, endangering their own existence and that of humans. Environmentalists have noted that the country has a maximum carrying capacity of around 35,000 elephant, which if exceeded will lead to habitat destruction, desertification and a broad decline in general wildlife numbers. "We are asking that Zimbabwe be allowed to sell some of the ivory that we are holding. Money earned will go a long way in improving the lives of many rural folks," said Vitalis Chadenga, deputy director responsible for research at the state-run Zimbabwe National Parks. "We want the world to understand that we are under pressure from elephants that are causing havoc in our parks as well as in some rural areas within the vicinity of the parks. Zimbabwe should be allowed to use this natural resource." Part of the $125 million Zimbabwe dollars earned from the experimental sale of ivory and hides last year has also been channeled into projects such as the rehabilitation of the Hwange National Park's water supplies for game as well as overhauling the parks' radio communication system. Plans are afoot to buy 25 patrol cars, patrol equipment and a survey aircraft, among other projects. "To successfully run the park, we need money and the government can't meet all our needs. We believe we should tap some of our resources," Chadenga said. In its proposal to the CITES meeting, Zimbabwe wants to keep the African elephant under Appendix II, which will allow the trade in elephant and elephant products as agreed at the organization’s last meeting in Harare in 1997. "There are high financial and security implications involved in managing the ivory that we keep," Moses Choto, another director at the National Parks, said of the ivory stockpile being kept in Harare. "The current annual cost of managing these stocks is at least US$35,000 and this is likely to increase as stocks continue to grow," said Choto, adding that Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia will go to CITES as a group to enhance their chances of winning the meeting's support. The director of CAMPFIRE, Stephen Kasere said, "While CAMPFIRE appreciates the importance of an international body like CITES monitoring international trade of species to guard against their extinction, we feel that its decisions should be based on sound and fair principles which promote conservation as opposed to purely political and emotional concerns as expressed by animal rights groups. It must be established beyond reasonable doubt that species listed under Appendix I, which bans any trade, should be really endangered if CITES is to maintain its professional integrity and reputation." While Zimbabwe may have some justification in its campaign for continued trade in ivory and other elephant products, some Western countries and animal activists are vehemently opposed to this. They say allowing trade in ivory will result in an unprecedented increase in poaching, a charge denied by Zimbabwean authorities. "In fact, poaching at our parks has declined since 1997," Chadenga said. Kasere added "Trade under strict controls should be allowed for those countries that have large elephant herds. A ban on legal trade is bound to pave the way for illegal trade, thus creating more problems for elephant countries which may not have money to invest in anti-poaching campaigns." Kenya Establishes Safety Center for Tourists, March 26 2000 A 24-hour safety and communication center has been set up in Nairobi, Kenya, to see to the well being of tourists in the country. The center is located at the Kenya Wildlife Complex on Langata Road. Staff at the center will constantly monitor radio frequencies allocated to tour operators. Members of the tourism industry will be able to report incidents of security concern, as well as offer information on roads, best routes and weather conditions. 5 People Arrested in Possession of Ivory in South Kenya, March 26 2000 Five people have been arrested in south Kenya after they were found in possession of two elephant tusks weighing about 22 kilograms. The arrests were made last Wednesday by police attached to the world famous Maasai Mara National Reserve. According to the police, the five people hid the tusks in a forest in Narok District of Rift Valley Province and attempted to find a buyer. The Kenyan government, strongly opposed to ivory trade, has made great efforts to crack down on elephant poaching. Kenya’s Park Fees May Go up in 2001, March 26 2000 The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), in conjunction with county councils which control national game reserves, will increase park entry fees by between 16% and 30% by January 2001, pending approval by stakeholders. The proposed increases elicited immediate criticism from tour operators in Mombasa who said the intended move was retrogressive and would make holidays in Kenya unnecessarily expensive at a time when country was reeling from a three-year tourism recession. According to the proposed fees, tourists will pay $35 to enter Aberdares, Amboseli and Nakuru national parks, up from $27. For Tsavo East and West, tourists will pay $30, up from $23, and for Shimba Hills, Nairobi and Meru parks, tourists will be charged $25, up from $20. In all other parks, tourists will be charged $18, up from $15. The KWS last raised park entry fees four years ago. A public announcement of the new rates should be made by March 30. Kenyan Airlines Brace for Battle for Skies, March 26 2000 Stiff competition looms in the Kenyan aviation industry following the announcement of an enormous expansion program by Kenya Airways, as its domestic competitor Air Kenya prepares to fly regional routes from April. Hitherto a domestic carrier accounting for about 5% of the Kenyan market, Air Kenya plans to venture beyond the borders from April, through a new service dubbed Regional Air. Sources close to the management indicate that Air Kenya is currently engaged in discussions with several partners on the acquisition of aircraft for the new service. However, the airline is said to have identified routes for the service within the Common Market for East and Southern Africa region. The airline plans to have flights to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Eritrea, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Burundi. The frequency and the aircraft to be deployed on the routes will be revealed once the discussions are concluded, sources said. Regional Air's entrance coincides with plans by Kenya Airways to introduce 19 new frequencies and daily services to key African destinations as well as new services to Muscat, Jeddah and Malpensa (Milan in Italy) with effect from June. The managing director of Kenya Airways, Mr. Richard Nyaga, said the growth plans were predicated on continued cargo and passenger growth and the airline's vision of turning Nairobi into to an aviation hub for the region and the continent. Under the growth plan, to be backed by the acquisition of six new planes by 2003, Kenya Airways plans to reduce the number of stopovers; launch a low cost, no frills subsidiary carrier registered as Kenya Flamingo by May; and upgrade Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to support connections with other Kenya Airways partners within and outside Africa. Building efficient partnership appears like the first front where the battle for domestic and regional skies will be fought. Both Kenya Airways and Air Kenya are reported to be negotiating partnerships with various carriers in the region. While Air Kenya is reluctant to disclose its business allies until agreements are signed, Kenya Airways has already signed operational arrangements with Air Afrique and Uganda Airlines and talks are on with Air Zimbabwe, Air Malawi and Air Tanzania. The other factor that will determine who wins the turf war will be the convenience of connections between Nairobi and other destinations. At the moment Kenya Airways regional flights are intricately tied to international schedules. It is believed that this is the niche Air Kenya wants to capture by offering custom-made flights for regional businessmen. Safety of Endangered Eagles halts South African Festival, March 26 2000 Two birds have caused the cancellation of a multi-million dollar international fireworks display which would have entertained hundreds of thousands of people in South Africa. Organizers of the Dunhill Symphony of Fire confirmed cancellation of the hugely popular annual pyro-musical competition, which was scheduled to be held at the Roodepoort Athletics Stadium outside Johannesburg. This comes after environmentalists pointed out that a pair of rare Black Eagles, which are nesting three kilometers away in the Roodepoort Botanical Gardens, could have their mating rituals disturbed by the spectacle, which is accompanied by very loud classical music. The pair of eagles started their breeding season only a few days ago. Boudewyn van der Lecq, project co-ordinator for the Roodekrans Black Eagle project, said there are only about 600 breeding pairs of these birds in South Africa and they need to be protected at all costs. Black eagles have been nesting at the Botanical Gardens since the 1940s, but there is now only one pair left. Shaun Roe, national brand manager of Dunhill Tobacco of London, said he had been unaware of the birds when the venue was chosen and the company is also concerned about their plight. He added that because the firing site takes a full week to prepare, the event would not be able to be held elsewhere. However, the competition will still be held in Cape Town from April 6 -14. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
