(101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA. Patrick Brakspear
the southern Sudan by the Wildlife Conservation Society has revealed that, despite a 25 year civil war in that country, a population of upwards of 1 million white-eared kob still inhabits this vast wilderness. In a migration to rival that of the Serengeti these antelope, once feared extinct, may form one of the largest remaining migrations on the planet. Also seen were an estimated 8,000 elephant, 4,000 nile lechwe, 250,000 mongalla gazelles, 160,000 tiang, 13,000 reedbuck, 2,800 ostriches and numerous endangered beisa oryx.
Pride in their wildlife - Africans themselves are becoming more aware of their own wildlife assets. The people of Rwanda, who have endured frightening conflicts in the past, have been encouraged to look upon the endangered Mountain Gorillas as a symbol of their country, something to be proud of and to protect for the generations to come. In recent years, along with Uganda, this has led to a substantial increase in Mountain Gorilla numbers to a recent estimate of over 700. In Namibia, where poaching is at almost negligible levels, they proudly boast that the numbers of free-roaming lion are on the increase, that they have both the largest population of free-roaming cheetah and the largest population of black rhino in Africa.
Co-operation - Transfrontier Parks, through the Peace Parks Foundation, are encouraging neighbouring countries to work together to create contiguous protected areas that either extend park boundaries to create a larger, more viable ecosystem or provide wildlife corridors that allow larger animals, like elephant, to move freely.
Community involvement – a new founding principle is being adopted across the continent that balances the needs of wildlife with that of the local communities that live alongside them. In more and more countries, like Mozambique, where wildlife populations were drastically affected by decades of civil unrest, authorities have begun to set aside new game reserves based on the inclusion of the people who live there. There is now a recognition that a balance needs to be found between the interests of wildlife and the needs of the community. For wildlife to hold a place in Africa, people must also benefit. Community based programs are now commonplace, reinforcing two overarching objectives – the conservation of biological diversity and the alleviation of rural poverty. Although tourism brings jobs and a boost to ailing economies, the welfare of wildlife cannot be held to be more important than the needs of the people. Only once we meet the needs of the people of Africa can we truly justify the existence of vast tracts of land set aside to protect wild animals.
This is the challenge for today’s Africa.
“Once the decision has been made that we want to keep this beauty for future generations, we have to get down to work, first to understand what is happening to the land and the wildlife and then to find solutions to the problems facing Africa’s people. Of one thing we are certain: The fates of both are inextricably bound.” - Molly Buchanon, Safari – The Romance & the Reality, National Geographic
The not such good news
To be weighed against the good news is the fact that the numbers of large mammals in Africa continues to decline, with estimates of declining numbers ranging from as much as 60 to 85% since 1970, depending on species and region (with West Africa being the most affected). The list of endangered species remains long, with many species locally threatened due to ignorance and mismanagement. The threat of habitat loss and poaching of forest elephant, hippo and the primate species of West Africa is very real, and the numbers of okapi, mandrill and even the African grey parrot are extremely low.
All the great ape species, which include the chimpanzee, bonobo, orangutan and gorilla, are threatened with extinction in the wild through human encroachment into their habitats. Three of these are found only in Africa. Uncontrolled logging, together with civil unrest and land pressures, continues to put them at risk.
When European settlers first began moving into the interior of east and southern Africa in the 19th century, the savannahs teemed with rhino. They were so plentiful that it was not unusual to encounter dozens in a single day. However, due to relentless hunting by settlers, and later poaching from wildlife parks and reserves, the numbers and distribution of both the black and white rhinoceros quickly declined. Poaching pressure escalated as a result of the rising demand for rhino horn in Asia and the Middle East, and between 1970 and the mid 1990s, the rhino suffered a 95% decline in numbers. Today, only a few thousand of each species survive in the wild, although populations are slowly increasing despite a more recent, and concerted, poaching crisis as the price of horn climbs to dizzying heights on the black market.
Cheetahs, once found over much of Africa, are still endangered in most of their former range although this has recently been downgraded from critically endangered to ‘out of danger’.
The giraffe, once considered widespread and relatively common, is now at risk of extinction after suffering a devastating decline in numbers, with nearly 40% of giraffes lost in the last 30 years to habitat loss, civil unrest and illegal hunting.
The African wild dog, formerly widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, are today found only in a limited number of protected areas large enough to provide the large home ranges that they require. Just 3,000-5,000 are thought to remain, with most populations continuing to decline.
Habitat loss too continues unabated, with continued logging and deforestation destroying countless hectares of primary forest – the very hotbed of evolution. It is from the forests of central Africa that many of the animals that we see today, including Man, emerged and where new species are still being discovered today. Such unimaginable destruction must surely be Africa’s most crucial concern today.
Demand from China for hardwood furniture is insatiable whilst saphire mining in Madagascar is threatening the habitat of the rarest of all lemur species – the Indri.
Sub-Saharan Africa has more than 500 species listed as critically endangered, over 750 species listed as endangered, over 1500 listed as vulnerable, and over 500 near threatened. The majority of these are trees, ferns, cycads, fish, frogs, bird species and even insects. (Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)
“Africa is mystic; it is wild; it is a sweltering inferno; it is a photographer’s paradise, a hunter’s Valhalla, an escapist’s Utopia. It is what you will, and it withstands all interpretations. It is the last vestige of a dead world or the cradle of a shiny new one. To a lot of people, as to myself, it is just ‘home’. It is all these things but one thing — it is never dull.” - Beryl Markham, author and adventurer.
To Do List (before you go)
Some of this advice is general travel advice, somewhat pedantic, but run your eye down the list - I'm willing to bet there will be more than one suggestion that you will find useful:
Travel Insurance Essential. You really must take out travel insurance. This is doubly important if you are travelling with children. I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Things do go wrong – baggage gets lost, flights are delayed, stuff gets stolen and on occasion, you might fall ill and need to go to hospital. Worse still, you might somehow be prevented, by unforeseen circumstances, from even leaving home. Get yourself covered. It really is well worth the added cost – I promise.
Passport Check that your passport is current. Important: Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of entry into your destination country AND should have at least one blank page for each country you will be visiting (for visas and entry stamps), including a page for your home country. These are actual requirements and not merely precautions.
Tourist Visas (and Tourism levies) Ask your Africa travel specialist which tourist visas you will need, and decide whether you would prefer to get these before you leave home, or on arrival. Most African countries will grant you a tourist visa on entry, either at the airport or border post. A number of countries including Uganda, Rwanda & Mozambique now prefer or require you to pre-register or obtain an eVisa on-line prior to your arrival. You should be sure to check and confirm these requirements with your travel agent. Obtaining a visa on arrival does mean joining the visa queue first, before going through customs and immigration and this does add to the process – but it is usually just a revenue collecting