Africa

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From bush to butcher: the game meat value in northern Tanzania

  In just four years Tanzania has rolled out an ambitious suite of regulations to address its poaching crisis and ensure ordinary people can benefit from sustainable, safe, and legal trade in wild meat. If successfully applied, the GMSR hold the potential to holistically address threats to both people and wildlife, connecting issues such as poaching, zoonotic and other food borne diseases transmission, climate change, poverty, sustainable development, and alternative livelihoods.” Qudra Kagembe, TRAFFIC East Africa’s Project Officer and lead...

Creature Feature | Cheetah

Did You Know – the Cheetah uses its tail much like a rudder, so it can change direction if required during hunting. Cheetah are found in Africa – and Iran –  in the first they are ‘vulnerable’ , however in Iran they are ‘critically endangered’ – IUCN For more info: National Geographic ...

Some good news – and reality – of rhino conservation

2,000 Southern White Rhino to be Released into the Wild Over Next 10 Years African Parks, a conservation NGO that manages 22 protected areas in partnership with 12 governments across Africa, announced that it will rewild over 2,000 southern white rhino over the next 10 years. African Parks has stepped in as the new owner of the world’s largest private captive rhino breeding operation, “Platinum Rhino”, a 7,800-hectare property in the North West province of South Africa, which currently holds...

Good news for World Heritage in Uganda

  Uganda’s Tombs of the Kings of Buganda at Kasubi to be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger The World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Riyadh until 25 September, has decided to remove the site of the Tombs of the Buganda Kings in Kasubi (Uganda) from the List of World Heritage in Danger, following the successful restoration work carried out by Uganda with UNESCO’s support. In 2010, a violent fire devastated the Tombs of the Kings...

Africa’s endangered wild dog

Today – 26th August – is World Painted Dog Day   Some facts What is the difference between a painted dog and a hyena? African wild dogs are commonly mistaken for hyenas, but in fact, there are many differences, both physically and behaviorally, between these two beautiful animal species. Hyenas have a larger build with spotted markings, while African wild dogs are smaller and more slender in shape, and have mottled marked fur. The wild dog is one of the...

Fast facts about fastest creature!

  This is International Cheetah Day … You may already know that cheetahs are the world’s fastest land animal. But did you know their tails play a crucial role in hunting? Check out these and other fun facts about cheetahs. The planet’s fastest land animal is built for super speed, rather than stamina. … When they do stir, cheetahs can accelerate faster than most sports cars. … The name cheetah comes from a Hindi word, chita, meaning ‘spotted one’ …...

Okavango in Africa – communities & conservation

With the support of UNESCO, UNDP, the Government of Botswana and local partners, projects to support conservation and sustainable livelihoods of communities have started in the Okavango Delta World Heritage site. The activities, which are planned and led by local civil society organisations, are supported through the Community Management for Protected Areas for Conservation (COMPACT) programme.   Okavango Delta launched its Community Management for Protected Areas for Conservation (COMPACT) programme to support demand-driven small grants for community-based organisations. The programme...

Park rangers protect , fatal attack

Statement from Virunga National Park on recent attack Africa national parks play a vital role to protect the wildlife of this amazing continent and travellers / tourism ( world Heritage status) and local communities benefit from the same. The importance and significance of these parks can therefore not be overstated. It is therefore doubly tragic when this happens…. It is with immense sadness that Virunga National Park confirms the deaths of 6 Park Rangers in an attack by armed assailants...

‘Jewel of the Kalahari’

The Okavango Delta emanates in the highlands of Angola, where the mighty Okavango River begins as just a trickle before gradually becoming the third largest river in southern Africa that flows for over 1,600km to reach inland Botswana. Around 60,000 years ago, the river deposited its water into Lake Makgadikgadi, a paleolake believed to have covered over 100,000km² of Botswana’s interior. At a time when we were just dragging ourselves into the Later Stone Age, most of southern Africa was...

World giraffe day!

he lion might be ‘king of the ‘jungle’ , but its the giraffe that has the greatest vision ( pun intended) ….. yes, everyone, it’s World Giraffe Day Giraffes are a unique creature…. The tallest mammal on the planet ; only found in Africa ; endangered or locally extinct in many African countries due to massive habitat loss ; able to Sleep standing up ; has a kick like no other m something which lions sometimes surcome to. More information...

Africa wild places and Coronavirus

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, the future of Africa’s natural landscapes—and the communities that coexist with them—are hanging in the balance. Here’s how your safari plays a role in the larger conservation story. My wife Anne and I were fortunate enough – after much planning – to be able in the mid 1990s, to go ‘on safari’ in East and central Africa – Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe. In Botswana, getting up at 5am (yes, that very...