INDIA: Tigress T-5 Found Dead In Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh

Tigress T-5 was found dead with injuries on her body in Madhya Pradesh's Panna Tiger Reserve on Saturday.

According to the Tiger Reserve administration, injuries on her body suggest that the animal may have died in a territorial fight with another big cat.

Tigress T-5 was one of the first big cats brought to the reserve in 2009 after the reserve had lost all of its tigers.

T-5 was brought here from Kanha Tiger Reserve.


Panna National Park is a national park located in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh in India.

Among the animals found here are the tiger, leopard, chital, chinkara, nilgai, sambhar and sloth bear. The park is home to more than 200 species of birds including the bar-headed goose, honey buzzard, king vulture, blossom-headed parakeet, Changeable hawk-eagle and Indian vulture.

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.

CONGO: Congo Designates Three Wetland Areas As Ramsar Sites

The Government of Congo has recently designated three wetland areas, which provide essential habitat to a range of notable and threatened species, as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites). These are the Loubetsi-Nyanga biological reserve, the Leketi-Mbama floodplains, and the biodiversity-rich Tchikapika-Owando wetland.

With these new designations Congo now has 13 Ramsar Sites within its territory, with the total surface of all the Sites covering nearly 137,000 km2. These zones make a significant contribution to the local economies by supporting water supply, fishing and agriculture. They are also of exceptional value to the region’s biodiversity.

Characterized by a range of habitats including dryland gallery forests, swamp forests and river bodies, the Loubetsi-Nyanga is an important biological reserve which supports varied flora, macroinvertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds and terrestrial mammals, and provides refuge for several notable species including the forest elephant, gorilla, chimpanzee, hippopotamus, hyena, leopard, and the giant ground pangolin.

The Site is also home to the Nile crocodile, African dwarf crocodile and the critically endangered slender-snouted crocodile. The local communities, estimated at 12,500 inhabitants, are highly dependent on the numerous resources of the Site for food, medicine, transportation and goods for trading with nearby towns.

The Leketi-Mbama is a unique inland wetland with a mixture of varied habitats including lakes, marshes and floodplains. It supports a wide range of animals including the critically endangered western lowland gorilla, the endangered chimpanzee, the vulnerable hippopotamus and the African elephant. Its floating meadows, savannah and swamp forests also provide a safe haven for migratory bird species, the African darter and the woolly-necked stork. Traditional agriculture, fishing, hunting and collection of non-timber forest products are some of the activities in the Site.

The Tchikapika-Owando is a biodiversity-rich wetland which supports fish, reptiles, birds, mammals, and invertebrate species and plays an important role in the hydrological regulation of the Congo river basin. The Site is known to support a multitude of species of fauna and flora, with its grassy savannah, rainforest and rural complexes particularly characteristic of the Guinean-Congolese/Zambezian biogeographic region.

Notable species include the leopard, water chevrotain, forest elephant, hippopotamus, African civet, side-striped jackal, the critically endangered western gorilla, crocodiles, tortoises and reptiles. The local population depends on the resources of the Site for its livelihoods, such as traditional fishing, hunting, subsistence farming, livestock rearing, collection of non-timber forest products and medicinal plants.

MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique’s Zambezi Delta Extended To Cover 3,000 Square Kilometres

Mozambique has significantly extended the Zambezi Delta, its second Wetland of International Importance. Now covering over 3,000 km2, the Delta is a unique wetland and one of the most diverse and productive river delta systems in the world. It is characterized by a broad flat alluvial plain with vast mosaics of tropical grassland, palm, thicket, woodland, deep water swamp, and some of the most extensive mangrove communities on the East African coast.

A recognized global biodiversity conservation hotspot, the Delta is home to a significant population of large mammals including the African buffalo, elephant, hippopotamus, lion and leopard, and a large concentration of waterbird species including white-backed and pink-backed pelicans, herons, flamingos, egrets, African fish eagles, storks, Caspian terns, wattled cranes and endangered grey crowned cranes. Bottlenose and humpback dolphins and a variety of marine and freshwater fish and shellfish species have also been recorded in the Site.

In addition to the rich biodiversity values, the Site provides a wealth of ecosystem services which are vital to food security and socio-economic development in Mozambique. It also provides hydrological functions including coastal protection, flood control and carbon sequestration. The major threat to the Zambezi Delta is the construction of dams for hydroelectric power.

WWF International Freshwater Programme and WWF-Mozambique have provided support to the updating of the Zambezi Delta.

SOUTH SUDAN: Forest Elephants Discovered In South Sudan, Western Equatoria state

Wildlife researchers have found forest elephants for the first time in South Sudan, along with dozens of other rare animal species in Western Equatoria state, a conservation organization said.

Scientists from Bucknell University, South Sudan's Wildlife Service, and Fauna and Flora International organization set up dozens of camera traps over 8000 square kilometers in Western Equatoria state in the last six months, taking 20,000 photographs.

The cameras, which are designed to sense motion and take a photo when something walks by, managed to photograph 37 different species of animal, including five species not previously seen by science in South Sudan either before or after indendence, according to Fauna and Forest International.

These new species included rare forest elephants, a species of elephant which is smaller than the larger savannah elephants more commonly seen in South Sudan.

“This is an extremely important finding,” said DeeAnn Reeder, Professor of Biology at Bucknell University. “Forest elephants are Critically Endangered, and have declined dramatically over the last two decades. Finding them in South Sudan expands their known range — something that urgently needs further study because forest elephants, like their savannah cousins, are facing intense poaching pressure."

Besides forest elephants, animals previously not known to exist in South Sudan found by the cameras include golden cats, water chevrotain, red river hogs, and giant pangolins.

Some of the other species captured on the cameras were chimpanzee, leopard, forest buffalo, four species of mongoose, spotted hyena, yellow-backed duiker, honey badger, monitor lizard, and a healthy population of western bongo, which is a type of antelope. All of these animals have been seen before in the country.

Threat of conflict

The researchers said the findings prove the ecological importance of the Western Equatoria forests and called for conservation and further study, but they warned that conflict poses a threat to the animals.

“Experience has shown that wildlife and ecosystems often suffer enormously during and after conflict, and in periods of political instability, and this depletion of natural resources affects some of the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of society,” says Adrian Garside of Fauna and Flora International.

Garside said his organization has helped train wildlife rangers to monitor animals and conduct foot patrols to deter illegal activity such as poaching.

Researchers have previously said that increased poaching of animals for meat and body parts has severely hurt wildlife numbers in South Sudan during the latest war.

TANZANIA: Mount Kilimanjaro National Park

Kilimanjaro. The name itself is a mystery wreathed in clouds. It might mean Mountain of Light, Mountain of Greatness or Mountain of Caravans. Or it might not. The local people, the Wachagga, don't even have a name for the whole massif, only Kipoo (now known as Kibo) for the familiar snowy peak that stands imperious, overseer of the continent, the summit of Africa.

Kilimanjaro, by any name, is a metaphor for the compelling beauty of East Africa. When you see it, you understand why. Not only is this the highest peak on the African continent; it is also the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, rising in breathtaking isolation from the surrounding coastal scrubland – elevation around 900 metres – to an imperious 5,895 metres (19,336 feet).

Kilimanjaro is one of the world's most accessible high summits, a beacon for visitors from around the world. Most climbers reach the crater rim with little more than a walking stick, proper clothing and determination. And those who reach Uhuru Point, the actual summit, or Gillman's Point on the lip of the crater, will have earned their climbing certificates.
And their memories.

But there is so much more to Kili than her summit. The ascent of the slopes is a virtual climatic world tour, from the tropics to the Arctic.
Even before you cross the national park boundary (at the 2,700m contour), the cultivated footslopes give way to lush montane forest, inhabited by elusive elephant, leopard, buffalo, the endangered Abbot’s duiker, and other small antelope and primates. Higher still lies the moorland zone, where a cover of giant heather is studded with otherworldly giant lobelias.

Above 4,000m, a surreal alpine desert supports little life other than a few hardy mosses and lichen. Then, finally, the last vestigial vegetation gives way to a winter wonderland of ice and snow – and the magnificent beauty of the roof of the continent.

About Kilimanjaro National Park
Size: 1668 sq km 641 sq miles).
Location: Northern Tanzania, near the town of Moshi.

Getting there
128 km (80 miles) from Arusha.
About one hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro airport.

What to do
Six usual trekking routes to the summit and other more-demanding mountaineering routes.
Day or overnight hikes on the Shira plateau. Nature trails on the lower reaches.
Trout fishing.
Visit the beautiful Chala crater lake on the mountain’s southeastern slopes.

When to go
Clearest and warmest conditions from December to February, but also dry (and colder) from July-September.

Accommodation
Huts and campsites on the mountain.
Several hotels and campsites outside the park in the village of Marangu and town of Moshi.

More info on accomodation

NOTE:
Climb slowly to increase your acclimatisation time and maximise your chances of reaching the summit.
To avoid altitude sickness, allow a minimum of five nights, preferably even more for the climb. Take your time and enjoy the beauty of the mountain.

NOTE 2:
NEW RATES FOR PORTERS AND GUIDES
(JUNE '08)

Porters
USD 10 per day
Cooks
USD 15 per day
Guides
USD 20 per day

BOTSWANA: Linyati, Selinda and Kwando

Linyati, Selinda and Kwando

At the extreme northern reaches of Botswana – the caprivi just on the other side – lie three of the most splendid, wild and secluded destinations the country has to offer.

Sandwiched between the Chobe National Park to the east and the Okavango south, the extensive Kwando, Selinda and Linyanti concessions offer superb wildlife viewing – and terrain to rival the physical beauty of the Okavango.

And no wonder – both share geographical similarities. Like the Okavango River, the Kwando River flows south from Angola across the caprivi Strip and into Botswana. Like the Okavango, it slowly fills the Linyanti Swamps. The outflow from the Swamps then fills the Linyanti River, which courses east into the Chobe River.

The swamps that fan out from the rivers carry the same magnificent natural history as the Okavango – picturesque channels, lagoons, papyrus stands and reedbeds. Riparian forest lines the waterways, giving rise to magnificent, towering trees. Dry riverbeds – the Selinda Spillway and the Savuté channel – meet the swamps, their lack of flowing water possibly determined by faulting underground that halts the course of the waters. interestingly, faults in this area are believed to be the southernmost point of Africa’s Great Rift Valley.

The reserves string along the rivers, with the Kwando to the northwest, Selinda (1350 sq kms in area) south and Linyanti (1250 sq kms in area) east. A small area of the Chobe National Park juts up to meet the Linyanti River and swamps; it has a government campsite and facilities for the self-drive camper, while the concessions offer private camps.

This is real African big game country, and during the dry season the permanent waters of both the Kwando and Linyanti Rivers serve as important migration points for wildlife from much of northern Botswana – including large herds of buffalo and elephant, wildebeest and zebra.

Virtually all naturally occurring antelope and predators can be seen in these concessions, depending, of course, on the season, and food and water availability. These include waterbuck, reedbuck, giraffe, impala, kudu, and with any luck the rare and shy sitatunga, and accompanying lion, hyena, leopard, cheetah, jackal, serval and caracal.

But perhaps the greatest attraction of this part of Botswana is the feeling it gives of extreme isolation, and being completely removed from the world as we know it. The camps are small and private, with perhaps only twenty or so guests present at one time.

There’s nothing else out there – except you, the bush and a fascinating contingent of wild animals – just waiting to be discovered, and explored.

BOTSWANA: Northern Tuli Game Reserve

Spectacular landscapes, rich and varied wildlife, and a host of historical, cultural and natural history attractions define this unique and very striking corner of northeastern Botswana.

Straddling the Shashe, Motloutse and Limpopo Rivers, which serve as natural boundaries with Zimbabwe and South Africa, the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (NTGR) comprises 71,000 hectares of remarkably diverse habitat, including mophane bushland, riverine woodland, and marshland, punctuated by towering sandstone cliffs, basalt formations and unusually shaped kopjes – making for truly breathtaking scenery.

One of the largest privately owned game reserves in Southern Africa and incorporating three major private concessions (Tuli Safari Lodge, Nitani Private Game Reserve, and Mashatu Game Reserve), the NTGR is home to 48 species of mammals and over 350 species of birds, with an estimated 20 000 animals residing in the reserve.

Most naturally occurring wildlife species are present, including elephant, kudu, zebra, impala, duiker, wildebeest, waterbuck, steenbok, and warthog. Large herds of eland – often not seen elsewhere in Botswana – are present, and these are indeed an awesome sight. All major predators, including lion, leopard, cheetah and hyena, are present, and the birdlife is prolific.

The NTGR is adjacent to a larger area of eastern Botswana called the Tuli Block. This is a ten kilometre wide strip of land running approximately Northern Tuli Game Reserve 180 kilometres south to Martin’s Drift that holds a string of commercial agricultural and game farms, several of which also offer tourist facilities.

Travellers keen for a more active safari experience will delight in all there is on offer. You can hike the reserve, bike the reserve, horse-ride the reserve, and even hot air balloon the reserve! At Mashatu Game Reserve, guests can accompany elephant or predator researchers, to gain first-hand insights into the behaviour, feeding habits, territories, demography, and social structure of these animals, as well as critical wildlife conservation issues. A similar experience awaits guests at Nitani – as they come to understand the complexities of a long-term hyena research project.

Molema Bush Camp, a community based tourism project managed and operated by Tuli Safari Lodge, is an ideal way to take part in a tourism concept that is rapidly gaining momentum in Africa. Local communities become active partners in tourism projects, from which they can more readily see clear-cut financial and social benefits.

Molema is a joint venture between three local villages: Motlhabaneng, Lentswe le Moriti and Mathathane and two tour operators: Tuli Safari Lodge and Talana Farms.

Archaeological sites provide an important historical perspective to the region. Iron Age sites demonstrate the formidable skills in pottery, mining, and smelting of the Zhizo, Leopard’s Kopje and Mapungubwe peoples, who practised agriculture and animal husbandry in the area.

Artifacts from the Mapungubwe Kingdom (1220-1290AD), a precursor to the Great Zimbabwe civilisation, reveal the sophistication of the technology and society of its people, and their extensive trade networks.

The NTGR will form the heart of the proposed Shashe/Limpopo Trans- Frontier Conservation Area (TFCA), its signatories – Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa – agreeing to cooperate to conserve and manage shared natural resources. Rich in biodiversity, the proposed TFCA will cover approximately 4,872 square kilometres and will be one of the largest wildlife conservation areas in Southern Africa.

Mapungubwe Hill

Mapungubwe was a prosperous Iron Age metropolis situated on the banks of the Limpopo River that thrived nearly a thousand years ago. It was ruled by a king of the Leopard Kopje people, and its extensive trade networks reached as far as Egypt, India and China.

The kingdom’s capital was situated at the 300 metre long Mapungubwe Hill, which today is only accessible through two very steep and narrow paths that twist their way to the top.

The civilisation of Mapungubwe was highly developed; its unique arts were of a superior craftsmanship and quality. One of the most famous pieces unearthed by archaeologists is a superbly crafted golden rhino. Other pieces include beautiful pottery and jewellery.

Mophane woodlands, riverine forests and sandstone formations create a breathtaking backdrop for Mapungubwe Hill. The area is rich in wildlife, including white rhino, elephant, giraffe, gemsbok, eland, lion, leopard and hyenas, as well as over 400 species of birds.

Motlhabaneng
Local village tours often become a highlight of a trip to Tuli. A delightful morning’s outing to the quaint village of Motlhabaneng consists of a visit to the kgotla for a chat with the village chief or headman, a visit to the local primary school where children don traditional clothing and dance, and a visit to a basket-maker’s home where guests interact with villagers, learn something of their traditional way of life and watch hand-woven baskets in the making.

Ancient rock paintings, almost certainly done by Southern Africa’s original inhabitants, the San, can also be seen at the outskirts of Motlhabaneng. The paintings depict people, animals, hunting scenes and mythological creatures, part of the San’s complex cosmology and belief system.

Solomon’s Wall

This rather amazing natural phenomenon, situated in the Tuli Block, is a 30 metre high basalt dyke that once formed a steep-sided natural dam wall across the Motloutse River.

A full ten metres wide, this ancient dyke once held back a great lake, with waterfalls spilling over the dyke. Evidence of this great lake are the numerous semi-precious stones (e.g. quartz and agate) found along the Motloutse riverbed.

Tall fever trees line the natural beach, making for a shady picnic site. Solomon’s Wall can only be reached with a four-wheel drive vehicle.

KENYA: Samburu National Park First In Africa On Google Street View

Google Street View has launched its maps of Kenya's Samburu National Park, which allows internet users to take a virtual safari in the conservancy.

The initiative, launched together with the charity Save the Elephants, wants to promote wildlife conservation.

The project aims to tell the stories of the elephant families in the park.

The Google Street View car drove through the park in February 2015, assuaging any fears that the tool could inadvertently help poachers.

The route follows one of the roads through the 165 sq km (65 sq mile) central Kenyan reserve and does not let the user go off-road.

Elephants, zebra and a leopard can be seen dotted along the way.

The Kenya Tourist board says it is the country's first national park to be accessible in such a virtual way.

"We hope that by bringing Street View to Samburu, we will inspire people around the world to gain a deeper appreciation for elephants," Google Kenya's Farzana Khubchandani said.

The Samburu county governor, Moses Lenolkulal, also attended the ceremonial launch.

"The more people experience our culture, our people and the majestic elephants and other wildlife with which we co-exist, the more we are able to conserve and sustain the Samburu culture and its fragile ecosystem for generations to come," he said.

Two of the main families of elephants captured by Street View are the Harwoods and the Spice family who have been identified by the shape of their tusks.

David Daballen, head of field operations at Save the Elephants,that he could recognise more than 600 elephants.

He said he hoped the glimpse into the park would inspire people to help with the elephants' plight.

Conservationists say the ivory trade and loss of habitat are putting Africa's elephant population at risk.

According to Save the Elephants, an estimated 100,000 elephants were killed for their ivory in Africa between 2010 and 2012.