KENYA: Taiwanese Tourist Killed By Deadly Hippo At Lake Naivasha Shores

Kenya Wildlife Service officers have neutralised a hippopotamus that attacked and killed a tourist from Taiwan who was taking photographs on the shore of Lake Naivasha.

The man was pronounced dead on arrival at the Naivasha District Hospital, while another tourist survived the attack on Saturday evening, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said on Sunday.

We are tracking the hippo, the service said on Twitter on Sunday.

Hell’s Gate Park warden Nelson Cheruiyot confirmed the tracking and killing of the deadly hippo.

KWS identified the dead man as Chang Ming Chuang, 66, and the survivor as Wu Peng Te, 62, and said they were from China but Taiwan’s foreign ministry said the two were from the self-ruled island.

Several people have questioned the rationale of killing the hippo, which they say was provoked in its natural habitat.

The attacks brought to six the number of people who have been attacked and killed by hippos in Naivasha since the year began.

The head of a boat owners’ association in Navaisha as saying higher than normal water levels were causing hippos to wander from the lake on to nearby farms and hotel properties searching for pasture.

Naivasha is a city on the lake 90 km northwest of the capital, Nairobi.

After a severe drought last year, Kenya had several months of heavy rain this year that caused serious flooding, including around Lake Naivasha.


Tourism Observer

TANZANIA: Wonders Of Serengeti

Serengeti Migration
The Serengeti is not one of the 7 natural wonders of Africa, but it is home to the migration which was officially declared as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa on February 11, 2013 in Arusha, Tanzania. The migration is a shared wonder between the countries of Tanzania and Kenya. The majority of the migration is experienced on the Tanzanian side.

Serengeti
The name Serengeti comes from the Swahili word meaning “endless plains.” For some this conjures up an image of nothing but grass lands, however the it is so much more. These endless plains stretch over 12,000 squares miles (30,000 sq km) and feature a variety of habitats that include the expected grasslands along with kopjes, swamps, riverine forests, woodlands and hills.

The various habitats are what provide an opportunity for the Serengeti to be home to around 70 larger mammals and over 500 species of birds. The abundant and varying wildlife is what attracts visitors to this wonder of nature from Africa.

The Kenyan and Tanzanian governments have leveraged national parks, conservation areas, and game reserves to establish official protection over 80% of the endless plains affectionately known as the Serengeti. The national park in Tanzania goes by the same name, whereas the national park in Kenya is known as the Masai Mara.

Serengeti Wildlife
The migration is the hallmark of the Serengeti featuring over 1.2 million wildebeests, over 800,000 zebras, and hundreds of thousands of gazelles, impalas, and other wildlife. The heart of the migration is the wildebeest and the zebra.

The Serengeti is also home to 6 of the Big Seven, which include the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, hippo and the crocodile. The only one of the Big Seven missing is the mountain gorilla. Some of the other wildlife calling the endless plains home include: cheetah, hyena, giraffe, eland, Thomson gazelle, impala, baboon, and the warthog. There are also hundreds of species of birds making this the complete Safari experience.

The migration is what attracts many people. One of the highlights occurs during the months of January and February when the wildebeests are giving birth. This is a short and concise window where all of the wildebeests give birth within a 2 to 3 week period. A second highlight occurs sometime during the months of September or October. This is another concise 2 to 3 week period where the wildebeests and zebras cross the Mara River into Kenya.

Crossing the Mara River is exciting for an couple of reasons. First, it is an amazing sight to see 1 million wildebeests crossing the river in a given moment. However this is also a challenging crossing as crocodiles wait to feast on these animals as they enter the water. Witnessing a crocodile capture and kill one of the wildebeest is an exciting encounter with nature.

SOUTH AFRICA: Two SA Safari Destinations Listed In CNN’s Top Ten

A six-hour drive from Johannesburg to the edge of the renowned Kruger National Park, Leopard Hills offers safaris through 10,000 hectares of big beast countryside.

The main lodge is sited on a rocky outcrop in the western sector of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve overlooking an active waterhole and magnificent plains where the Big Five reside.

Rates include two drives per day and optional walking safaris with the chance of close-quarter glimpses of rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant.

Rangers are established photographers and can advise on taking quality safari snaps.

Leopard Hills (South Africa)

2015 Safari Awards, the Oscars of the Safari industry, are a useful guide to the best available tours. CNN examined the honors roll and gathered 10 of their favorite finalists. These are the adventures that excel in location, animal encounters, social and environmental responsibility and offer something different.

Pumba Private Game Reserve & Spa (South Africa)
Hippo, hyena, wildebeest, kudu, eland and antelope are among the attractions at the family-friendly Pumba Private Game Reserve & Spa.

The big draw, however, is the majestic and endangered white lion.

Pumba, a malaria-free haven dedicated to conservation and boosting the local community, operates a white lion-breeding program and is one of just two homes to the beast in the whole of southern Africa.

Accommodation includes the Water Lodge, overlooking Lake Cariega, or Msenge Bush Lodge, looking out over a waterhole and mountain views.

The other eight destinations chosen by CNN were Fundu Lagoon (Tanzania); Karisia Walking Safaris (Kenya); Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Rwanda); Samode Safari Lodge (India); Tongole Wilderness Lodge (Malawi); African Horseback Safaris (Botswana); Goliath Safaris Luxury Tented Camp(Zimbabwe); Norman Carr Walking Safari (Zambia).

How the 2015 Safari Awards are run

The Safari Awards was founded in 2008. The competition has gone from strength to strength and is regarded by many as the Oscars of the Safari industry.

Over 4,000 vetted tour operators, travel agents and travel journalists are invited to vote for the best safari camps, lodges, house, mobile and riding operators, and wildlife organisations. A panel of 14 highly-respected, knowledgeable and independent judges vote to create the ‘Judges Shortlist’ of about 200 safari camps, people and operators. Further voting takes places to produce the top five per category which are then visited and further voted on to produce the winners.