ULTIMATE AFRICA SAFARIS
Ultimate Africa travel and wildlife news archive March 2001 Wildebeest Migration Update, March 4 2001 It has been raining in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park and the landscape is beautifully green. The animals are presently concentrated in the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu area. Team Looking into Black Rhino Deaths in Tanzania, March 4 2001 U.S. and African wildlife experts are investigating the mysterious death of seven of the 17 rare black rhinoceros living in a Tanzanian wildlife sanctuary. The rhinos died in the 3,320-square mile Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania, five of them in May and two others in January, said Emmanuel Chausi, conservator for the area. The conservation area, site of the Ngorongoro crater, the collapsed floor of an extinct volcano that is the rhino's habitat, has also seen several hundred other animals die during a prolonged drought. Chausi said the 11-member team from the United States, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa arrived last week to investigate the cause of death of the rhinos. "We don't know source of the deaths, but early samples indicate that it is Babesiosis," he said. The tick-borne disease is caused by the Babesia parasite that attacks red blood cells that supply oxygen to animals. Babesiosis is common in animals but rare in humans. Lack of water from the drought is believed to have killed the other animals, including 323 Cape buffalo, 193 wildebeest, 69 zebra, three antelope and three hippopotamus. The remains of the animals were found near water sources. The total number of black rhinos across southern and eastern Africa was about 65,000 in 1970 but hunting left only some 2,300 alive in the early 1990s. Since then conservation efforts have brought their numbers to around 2,700. Seretse Confirms Botswana Wildlife Deaths, March 4 2001 Botswana’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Tebelelo Seretse, last week admitted that wildlife was dying in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. Addressing parliament the minister said that she has received reports that zebras are the most affected species, especially the young ones. "The reason for this is that, due to the prevailing drought conditions, zebras have moved from the Pans on the eastern side of the Park towards the Boteti River, earlier than usual". But many of the newly born zebras, are not sufficiently grown to undertake the journey so the high rate of deaths. The minister further told the House that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks tried its best to provide water in the riverbed but many of the animals were too stressed to survive when they reached the river. "Apart from providing water in the Boteti riverbed, a number of boreholes have been drilled away from the river". Seretse further stated that the boreholes have recently been equipped, and that the artificial watering points still remain to be constructed. "For this financial year, funds for such a construction have run out and construction of some of the artificial watering points is expected to commence in the new financial year", explained Seretse. Even with the new boreholes, the minister said that this year's deaths cannot be avoided because there is still some distance between the pans in the east and the nearest provision of water in the west of the park. Earlier on, the Member of Parliament for Boteti Slumber Tsogwane had asked the minister to explain whether she is aware that wildlife along Boteti River is perishing due to water shortages. He also wanted her to state what steps she is taking to rectify the situation. Cape Town Tahrs set for Passage to India, March 4 2001 The Indian government intends to save the tahrs on Cape Town's Table Mountain. India has sent a fax to Valli Moosa, South Africa’s Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, imploring him not to take "any extreme violent action" against the tahrs because India was happy to give them a home. South African National Parks has been culling the Himalayan mountain goats as part of their program to remove alien plants and animals from the Cape Peninsula National Park. In the fax, sent by India's minister of state for animal welfare, Maneka Gandhi, it is stated that the tahrs are an extremely endangered species and would be very valuable to India. The Indian government was prompted by a local animal rights group, Friends of the Tahr, who contacted Gandhi. Jeanne Wadee, a spokesperson for Friends of the Tahr, reportedly said Gandhi had "expressed great concern" about their elimination in Cape Town because they were endangered in India where there were only about 200 left. Eclipse Canoe Safaris Still Available!, March 11 2001 There are still several canoe safaris available through Mana Pools during the June 21, 2001 total solar eclipse. Mana Pools is the prime eclipse viewing area!!! Also note that there are a few spaces left on the Complete Africa camping safari which departs from Johannesburg on June 13, 2001. The cost is US $2,195 per person and there is no extra single supplement cost and no food kitty cost. Please phone our office toll free 1 800 461 0682 anytime between 10 AM and 6 PM for further details. Zimbabwe’s Jijima Camp to Close, March 11 2001 Zimbabwe’s Jijima Tented Camp in the Hwange area has made the decision to close. It is an economic decision caused by the lack of tourists. They have decided to close for the foreseeable future and save on all the running costs of maintaining a camp. As soon as tourism in Zimbabwe picks up they will reopen. Botswana Plans new Foot and Mouth Fence, March 11 2001 Foot and mouth disease, a non-lethal disease of cloven-hooved mammals, has caused an international scare in recent months. The rush to control the disease, which can cause economic ruin, has verged on hysterical. In the latest knee-jerk reaction, unconfirmed reports indicate that Botswana intends to clear a strip along the Limpopo River to separate its herds from South Africa. Botswana is not new to controversy over its Foot & Mouth control programs. Fences across the Kalahari and through the Okavango swamps have, over the years, been the cause of death of many hundreds of thousands of animals. This is despite severe international criticism of the policy. The latest move could see wild animals of the famous Tuli wildlife areas cut off from their only reliable source of water - the great green Limpopo River, all set about with fever trees. The bulldozers will also clear thousands of hectares of pristine riverine forest, which will simply never recover. All set about with dead fever trees! Botswana's greatest asset is its wilderness. The Tuli region will simply not be the same with a massive scar right through the middle of it. This is besides the effect of the planned double fence and the erosion that the clearing will inevitably cause. Why the panic when there is no Foot & Mouth anywhere near the Limpopo? Is this massive devastation in the national interest? For local herdsmen, the disease in their cattle would be the equivalent of a bout of 'flu. But for the commercial cattle producers it could indeed be devastating as they depend on lucrative export contracts to sustain their not exactly difficult existence. So who are these cattle barons who wield such power? Certainly there are some very influential private individuals in the cattle industry. But the interesting thing would be how many Botswanan government ministers’ own cattle. And how are they able to influence and dictate policy relating to the "fences of death"? All is not well in the state of Botswana - if these reports are true, they bode ill for the future of Botswana's wildlife. Botswana tries to Reduce Conflict between Livestock and Wildlife, March 11 2001 Botswana's commerce and industry minister, Tebelelo Seretse, has said that the government plans to pay higher compensation for damages caused by wild animals preying on livestock. The minister said the increase would take effect on April 1, 2001 and that the government has posted permanent animal control officers to conduct day and night patrols in wildlife areas. Furthermore, the government has strengthened the problem animal control unit by reinforcing its manpower, vehicles and equipment. Game proof fences have also been constructed to separate livestock and wildlife. Kenya to Boost Wildlife Conservation, March 11 2001 The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced a five-year plan to boost the conservation of wildlife in the country. KWS Director Nehemiah Roitch said that the awareness campaign, to be launched in June, is aimed at educating communities on wildlife conservation and improvement of national parks. Rotich said the initiative will also include intensive research on community participation in environmental conservation and local communities in the management of the wildlife reserves so as to help them reap maximum benefits from wildlife. He noted that a number of communities have released 2,000 square kilometers of land to the KWS as community animal sanctuaries, and urged more communities to do the same.
Tanzania Wildebeest Migration Update, March 18 2001 Good rains have turned the dry landscapes of northern Tanzania a lovely shade of green. The southern plains of the Serengeti are teeming with wildlife – the largest gathering of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and other antelopes of the last few years. The calving season began the second week of February, giving traveler’s excellent opportunities to observe and photograph the arrival of the new life. The plains were filled with tiny Thomson’s gazelles, playful Zebra foals and thousands of light chestnut colored wildebeests struggling to keep apace with their mothers. At Ngorongoro Crater the numbers of a biting Stomoxys flies have increased. Their bites have led to many animals suffering from painful sores. The lions have been most affected by this epidemic and 6 out of 68 in the crater have died. This situation is not new in the Ngorongoro Crater. A similar epidemic occurred in 1962 after the extensive drought of 1961, followed by heavy rains, that brought an explosion of Stomoxys flies who decimated the crater’s lion population. Similar outbreaks were also known at the Simanjiro Plains in 1997 /98 after El Niņo rains. The number of predator sightings in the Serengeti has been incredible. With some many animals in one area the odds of observing the predators in action have increased dramatically. One recent day clients at Shifting Sands, the drifting dunes close to Olduvai Gorge, watched a solitary cheetah capture a baby Thomson’s gazelle, while its mother was able to run away to a safe distance. Amazingly, after playing with the young gazelle for several minutes, the gazelle was released unharmed. Apparently the cheetah was actually interested in the mother and kept waiting for it to come and try to rescue her baby. The mother had observed the situation from a safe distance deciding not to risk moving in. Fortunately for her the cheetah gave up! In another area clients watched as a newborn wildebeest tried to suckle a hyena! The hyena simply nudged it aside with its nose and eventually the baby walked off looking forlorn and hoping to find mum somewhere. Bloodsucker Flies Torment Lions, March 18 2001 Lions in Tanzania are being driven to an early grave by swarms of bloodthirsty stomoxys flies. The flies have been particularly prevalent in one of the world's most famous wildlife parks, the Ngorongoro Crater. There, the blood-sucking insects are literally pestering the lions to death. The big cats are so traumatized by the experience that they forget to eat, and spend all their time trying to hide, climbing up trees and crouching in long grass. They are, as one conservation official put it, dying of trauma. So far, at least six lions are reported to have been killed by the flies in the Ngorongoro Crater - a spectacular wildlife reserve set in the middle of an old volcano. Stomoxys flies have sharp tubes sticking out of their mouths, which they use to suck blood. They have been attacking the lions' open wounds, causing considerable pain. The flies' numbers are believed to increase rapidly when there is an extreme climate change. After a long drought, it has been raining heavily in the park. Scientists from around the world have been helping the Tanzanian authorities to identify and deal with the problem. But these are not farm animals, and wildlife officials say they are reluctant to intervene with pesticides or any other treatment. They argue that the laws of nature should be allowed to take their course - the survival of the fittest. In fact, the flies are not the only menace to larger animals in the Ngorongoro Crater. Since May last year, hundreds of buffaloes, dozens of zebras, five rhinos and three hippos have reportedly died of mysterious circumstances. A disease called East Coast fever, and another called babesiosis are suspected. Stay of Execution for Kenya's Forests, March 19 2001 A High Court in western Kenya has granted an injunction to prevent the government from handing over protected forestlands to individual Kenyans. The court in Eldoret made the order after being petitioned by a small human rights group. Environmental campaigners have condemned government plans to take over 14 forests on the slopes of Mount Kenya - an area of more than 160,000 acres. They say the area, which represents one tenth of all Kenya's forests, has already been devastated by illegal logging, and any further disruption will have a serious impact on a vital water-catchment area. More Land for South Africa’s Cape Peninsula National Park, March 18 2001 A prime piece of conservation property at Wildschutsbrandvlei above Scarborough, has been acquired for incorporation into South Africa’s Cape Peninsula National Park, thanks to funds made available by the Table Mountain Fund of World Wildlife Fund –South Africa. The property on the old Wildschutsbrandvlei farm, is located in a pristine, remote environment and forms a critical piece in the jigsaw puzzle of conservation land that makes up the Peninsula Mountain Chain. Thanks to the efforts of the Cape Peninsula National Park and the Table Mountain Fund, this land will now be protected. Elephant Seal visits South Africa’s Cape Shores, March 18 2001 Cape Town's Three Anchor Bay has gained an unexpected tourist attraction - a southern elephant seal whose lust for squid carried him from his home on Gough Island to visit the Mother City's shores. About four or five of these seals visit the South African coastline each year, and that this particular seal was probably dragged here by currents while diving for squid. Conservationists unhappy about Kruger's Rhino
Sales, March 25 2001 Members of the independent ethics committee appointed by South African National Parks (SANP) to advise it on conservation management are alarmed at the sale of the cows and their calves. The committee reportedly said it was wrong to sell wild-caught animals straight into captivity, particularly zoos, and concerns were raised that the cows would be separated from their calves. Karen Trendler, director of the WildCare animal rehabilitation center and a member of the SANP ethics committee is quoted as saying that "it is ethically unacceptable to split up mothers and calves". Trendler reportedly said that mothers and calves are popular among wildlife traders because they get two animals for a lower price, and can make a profit by splitting them. However, this often results in rehabilitation centers such as WildCare having to treat the youngsters when things go wrong. WildCare was called on to sort out problems with calves taken from their mothers soon after they were sold on auction by the Kruger last year. The sale of the 21 white rhinos could raise
about US $1.25 million for the cash-strapped park. Namibia Bans Export of Wild Animals,
March 25 2001 The ministry said that wild animals or species listed on Appendix One of CITES that may not be exported for commercial purposes also include leopard and cheetah. "Despite being listed on Appendix Two of CITES, exports of live elephants from Namibia are regarded as exports of Appendix One listed species and are subject to the same provisions," the ministry reportedly said. The ministry said that Namibia was an arid
country that is dependent, to a large extent, on natural resources for its livelihood,
through tourism, hunting and other forms of utilization. "Every effort is being made
to ensure that Namibia remains competitive in this regard, compared to her neighbors and
other African countries, and this can only be achieved if we have our own unique
attractions," said the statement. New Threat to Kenya Tourism, March
25 2001 An intensive study of the Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, the country's main tourist attraction, has led many experts to believe that country's tourism industry is seriously threatened. There is a drastic decline in both wildlife populations and species in the ecosystem. The area occupied by wildlife, especially migratory wildebeest and zebra, has declined drastically, leading to a major decline in the number of animals migrating to the ecosystem annually. Most affected are the Loita Plains - the seasonal grazing and breeding grounds for wildebeest, zebra and other animals. The habitat is being lost to agriculture, mainly wheat growing. The plight is no better in Amboseli National Park. Half of the plant biodiversity has been lost. Critical swamps outside the park, which are used by wildlife and livestock for dry-season grazing and watering, are being converted to farmlands, says Dr David Western, chairman of the African Conservation Center and former director of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). However, the Maasai Mara National Reserve has
raised greatest concern. The situation is further complicated by fact that the reserve is a small-protected area. "The park is only 1,500 square kilometers. This is not adequate for protection and viability of migratory wildlife species. The area used by wildlife is over 600 square kilometers, much of which is found on the group and private ranches," says Wildlife Dynamics: An Analysis of Changes in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem in Kenya. Unfortunately, much of this habitat has been
converted to agriculture use. The wildebeest, the flagship or keystone species in the ecosystem because of its large numbers and spectacular annual migrations, is hardest hit. The study reveals that its population declined from 119,000 in 1977 to 22,000 in 1997, a decline of about 81%. This decline has been most severe in Loita Plains - the main calving and breeding grounds of the wildebeest in southwestern Kenya. The plains have been converted to wheat farms. Other affected species include buffalo and
warthog, with a population decline of 82% and 88%, respectively. Giraffes, elands,
waterbucks and antelopes have experienced population declines of over 72%. Dr Ottichillo traces the problem to policy changes in land-use and land tenure in the ecosystem in the early 1960s. The Maasai Mara National Reserve was established in 1961. Originally, the land in the ecosystem was owned by indigenous Maasai people on communal basis and was held as trustland for them by the local government authority. It was exclusively used for livestock and wildlife grazing. However, in the mid-1960s, ownership was
changed from trust land to group ranches through the Group Representatives Act, Cap 287.
The land was adjudicated and registered as freehold, private or group ranches. In the early seventies, the government started promoting wheat growing in the northern areas after it established that these had good climate and soil conditions. It did not put into consideration the effects on wildlife. Soon the population increased, mainly due to
an influx of migrants from farming communities - Central, Western, Nyanza and (other parts
of) Rift Valley provinces. The migrants bought or leased land from local Maasai. Apart
from destroying the habitats by converting them to agricultural production, they were also
involved in poaching for game meat or animal products, unlike the Maasai. The Executive Director of East African Wildlife Society, Mr Hadley Becha, says the government must enact land-use policies that bind local communities to engage in environmentally friendly activities. Politics, also, has come into play - ensuring the park, instead of being managed by KWS in collaboration with Narok and Trans Mara county councils, has been divided into two administrative units, separately managed by councils. However, the councils lack technical expertise to effectively manage their areas. The KWS says its role in the park is merely advisory. The council has resisted all attempts to declare it a national park, where it would automatically be managed by KWS. "For instance, in 1992, Dr Richard Leakey, while director of KWS, convinced President Moi to declare it a national park. But this lasted only 12 hours. A high powered delegation from the council convinced the President to rescind the decision. In 1996, KWS signed a memorandum of understanding with the council. This lasted nine months only. However, Mr Becha does not support the idea of KWS taking over management of the ecosystem, saying this would be contrary to current trends of community partnership in wildlife management. "KWS should only be involved in formulation of policy guidelines." The council generates significant amounts of revenue from tourist receipts, according to Dr Ottichillo. Unfortunately, this money is neither ploughed back into management of the park nor used to compensate or reward landowners on whose land wildlife resides. Return to Weekly Update Archive |
