Gorongosa had a tough but positive year in 2021

The story of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique is one of the mos remarkable conservation success stories in Africa, if not the world. The Park was virtually destroyed during the dreadful civil war which wracked the country for 15 years from 1977 to 1992, during which more than a million people died, and the once abundant wildlife populations were largely wiped out. In 2008 the Carr Foundation in the USA began a project with the government of Mozambique to restore the Park to its former glory. It has been a spectacular achievement to date.

 

The Gorongosa Project has just released its Annual Report for 2021. My column this month will comprise extracts from this informative document. At the end I have provided a link where you can access the whole report, which is illustrated with some spectacular photographs. The report starts with a message from the Gorongosa Park Warden Pedro Muagura:

 

“2021 was a year of many emotions for the Gorongosa Project. COVID-19 extended into this year and continued to affect many of our activities in the Park, particularly in tourism and in our human and sustainable development departments which work directly with the local communities. On a more positive note, I would like to extend my sincere thanks for the good government collaboration at the Central, Provincial and District levels. Together we are protecting biodiversity and developing communities around the Park. This year has shown once again reforestation is an imperative mission for every citizen, in schools, churches, cities, and villages. I also want to thank the workers of all Park departments, for the employee dedication shown during a very complicated year.”

 

Publication of Montane to Mangrove

Dr Ken Tinley’s monumental 1977 DSc. thesis Framework of the Gorongosa Ecosystem was published as a book called Montane to Mangrove by Hamilton-Fynch. The 396-page, large format book captures the original text and its exquisitely drawn graphics. The book is available for US$150.00, excluding shipping, from megancarolla@gmail.com

Goals of the Gorongosa Project

 The Gorongosa Project recognizes environmental conservation, especially in Africa, is possible only through socio-economic community development leading to a way out of poverty. To this end the Project has formulated a series of goals:

 

  • Improve the capacity of the Gorongosa Project to preserve, protect and manage the diverse ecosystems within the Park. Biologists acknowledge that the Greater Gorongosa region is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world.
  • Increase the scientific understanding and management decision-making of the Greater Gorongosa region’s diverse ecosystems — freshwater catchments, terrestrial and marine biomes, sustainable agricultural areas and sustainably harvested forests  – to maximize both long-term biodiversity and sustainable land-use in order to create a green economy that lifts the region’s communities out of poverty.
  • Provide improved delivery and access to health care services and improved education, both in-class and after-school; and, support civic education for local participation in community planning and disaster resilience, in collaboration with the respective Mozambican ministries. We have a strong focus on expanding girls’ and women’s participation and leadership opportunities in all areas.
  • Support balanced urban growth in the towns surrounding the Park’s boundaries by constructing/ rehabilitating safe haven schools, health clinics and public libraries. We encourage and empower our employees to be community members and to work with local authorities on local planning. Traditional knowledge practices are also considered in the whole process. All of these initiatives are aligned with the priorities of district governments. In addition, the Gorongosa Project and the Mayor of Vila Gorongosa signed a MOU where these initiatives will be piloted. Together, the Gorongosa Project and Vila Gorongosa will build and put into practice the concept of a Model Village for Mozambique.
  • Drive sustainable economic development for the women and men who live in Gorongosa Park’s 600,000 hectare (soon to be expanded) Sustainable Development Zone. We support small-scale farming, commercial agriculture, employment in agricultural processing factories, ecotourism and employment in construction. A variety of Park employment opportunities exist in forestry, science, administration and conservation.

 

Conservation

 The Conservation Department oversees implementation of data-driven management actions across the protected wildlands and areas surrounding the Park. All programmes in the Department — Law Enforcement, Wildlife Management, and, Ecosystem Integrity — are focused on strong, measurable outcomes that ensure the continued protection of Gorongosa Park’s precious biodiversity. Our core programmes include:

 

  • Law enforcement — a 300-strong team of male and female wildlife rangers who serve across more than 12,000 km2 of the Greater Gorongosa.
  • Wildlife management – this team is responsible for protected species monitoring and overseeing reintroductions of painted wolves, pangolins, leopards and other species.
  • Training wildlife veterinarians, wildlife rangers, and engaging in conservation law training partnerships with attorneys, prosecutors and members of the judiciary.
  • Ecosystem Integrity and Human-Wildlife Coexistence teams oversee community partnerships and projects that use strategies such as beehive fences, elephant-proof silos and predator-proof bomas to contribute to a healthy coexistence between humans and wildlife.
  • Conservation technology includes field-testing cutting-edge tools, and integrating multiple datasets across all our programmes for real-time Park management.

Wildlife population growth

 Our most recent aerial wildlife count in 2020 confirmed a spectacular rise in large mammal populations with more than 100,000 animals counted — including 1,200 buffalo, nearly 1,000 elephants, and a large number of other mammals. In the waterways and wetlands, we counted 750 hippos and 2,700 crocodiles.

 

Protection and rehabilitation of pangolins

 

We continue to rehabilitate pangolins trafficked and voluntarily delivered to the Park by communities and individuals before releasing them back into the wild. Pangolins are the most trafficked animals in the world, mostly destined for Asian markets. In 2021, a total of 13 pangolins were recovered from illegal trafficking and two were handed over voluntarily by local communities.

Painted wolves (African Wild Dogs)

Critically endangered, these carnivores are believed to number no more than 7,000 in the whole of Africa. The first reintroductions to Gorongosa were in 2018 and 2019, with nine more in 2021. All were flown in from South Africa, thanks to the support of Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). The Park shared three young males with neighbouring Malawi, specifically for the Majete Reserve, where wild dogs had been absent for three decades. Fifty-three pups were born in the Park this year bringing our total population to 123.

Law enforcement

Much of the conservation work in Gorongosa National Park depends on Law Enforcement. Led by Mozambicans Tsuere Buramo (Head of Law Enforcement) and pilot Alfredo Matevele (Deputy Head of Law Enforcement), the Gorongosa Rangers are a 300-strong team of women and men, trained in conservation and human rights law as law-enforcement officers. A number of our top rangers have participated in advanced training abroad. Several have been awarded local and national awards for their outstanding service.

 

Gorongosa rangers patrol over 11,900 square km of habitat spanning the Park, including an additional area adjacent to the Zambezi River north of the Park (since 2018), and the surrounding Sustainable Development Zone. Our efforts continue to expand to include several areas adjacent to the Park as part of a long-term vision to extend wildlife corridors from ‘Montane to Mangrove’ with a mosaic of Park, community conservancies, and sustainable forestry. Many Gorongosa rangers are from the communities that they serve and help establish long-term trust by mobilizing local leaders and educating local communities. In March of 2019, the Gorongosa rangers were among the first reaching flooded communities to provide food and medical support to families affected by Cyclone Idai.

Reintroduction of leopards

 

Elusive and shy, agile, mobile and very powerful, leopards have the widest habitat tolerance of any species in the cat family. Leopards are apex predators and a vital component of the ecosystem. We have reintroduced five leopards so far, four females and one male, thanks to a great collaboration between the Gorongosa Project, Wildlife Vets-SA and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.

Training

  • Selection and training of over 31 new rangers (three women), six refresher courses, a patrol leader’s course and two courses on the behaviour of dangerous animals; and
  • Two training courses on handling of environmental crime scenes. Participants included judicial magistrates, prosecutors, SERNIC (National Criminal Investigation Service) directors, PRM (Republic of Mozambique Police) commanders and Gorongosa rangers.

 In the field

  • 830 patrols, 203 arrests, and the confiscation of 12 firearms, 236 traps, 1,603 steel cables and one vehicle.
  • 45 traffickers found in possession of live animals and products of protected species, were arrested in the provinces of Sofala, Manica and Tete.
  • 24 traffickers of ivory tusks, 20 dealers in pangolins and one dealer selling a leopard skin were prosecuted.

Human-wildlife coexistence

Subsistence farmers can lose as much as a whole season’s crop to elephants. Beehive fences, have a 90% success in protecting both crops and elephants, and placing metal sheets at crossing points helps ensure a peaceful co-existence. Beehive fences have the added advantage of providing community revenue through honey collection. Some of our achievements to reduce human-wildlife conflict during 2021 include the construction of:

 

  • 150 elephant-proof improved silos;
  • 27 predator-proof improved bomas; and
  • Improved beehive fences, using zinc-plated steel sheets, on elephant pathways.

These strategies are bringing positive results, with a significant reduction of elephant crossings into croplands.

Vulture research

While vultures play a critical role in ecosystems they are at risk outside of protected areas from poisoning and collection of vulture body parts for traditional medicine use. Our teams work with students from Boise University in the United States, who partner us in vulture research.

 

Science

Prior to the commencement of the Project’s science activities in 2006, little was known about Gorongosa’s biodiversity with the exception of the larger charismatic wildlife and birds. What was known about its ecological functioning was based on Ken Tinley’s excellent landscape ecological study from the 1970s. Since then however, much has changed in this dynamic environment. Land-use changes in the Sustainable Development Zone are profound, and new scientific tools, techniques and theories are now available and accessible. The three main spheres of science activities in the Gorongosa Project are:

 

  • Gathering knowledge
  • Monitoring change
  • Building Mozambican scientific capacity

These spheres are implemented through seven major, interlinked and mutually-supporting science programmes. Each programme is realized through our own staff in partnership with a wide range of external researchers and institutions.

 

The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory

The E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory in Chitengo is the physical facility and central hub through which many different science programmes are delivered. Considering the expanding activities of the Gorongosa Project across the broader landscape from Mount Gorongosa to the sand forests of Coutada 12, it will be important to establish additional satellite science facilities.

 

Bird count on Lake Urema

A third monitoring survey of the large water bird colony on Lake Urema was undertaken by our Scientific Services and Tourism teams during the month of March. This field team counted a total of 4,382 nests belonging to nine species. Openbill Stork nests increased by 45% from the April 2019 count and represented the species with the highest number. Yellow-billed Stork nests increased to 1,281 (equating to 2,562 birds – far exceeding the 1% RAMSAR threshold for wetlands of international significance in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

There is much, more of interest in this Annual Report, which covers a lot more than the conservation of biodiversity. Those running the Gorongosa Project are very aware that the future of the Park depends on good relationships with its neighbours, so a massive effort is being made to develop and uplift the surrounding communities. Here is a sample of some amazing sustainable development initiatives:

The Gorongosa Project is committed to the kind of sustainable development that ensures long-term survival of both human society and natural resources by making sure livelihoods are improved without depleting natural resources.

Coffee

The coffee project on Mount Gorongosa, integrated with our rainforest restoration programmes, has gone from strength to strength. Our signature single-origin Arabica coffee blends: Girls Run the World, Speak for the Trees, Lion’s Blend and Elephants Never Forget, are now available in more than 50 countries with the USA and UK as major distributors. The coffee project has created 400 additional jobs. Local coffee farmers planted over 600,000 trees in 2021 – a tenfold increase over previous years – and harvested 105,210kgs of green coffee beans in 2021. More than 800 local families are now growing coffee.

 

Cashew project

The Gorongosa cashew programme built three more nurseries to minimize damage and dehydration during seedling transportation to farms. These are located in the strategic locations of Mazamba in Cheringoma, Bebedo in Nhamatanda and in Dondo.

 

  • Each nursery has the capacity to hold 7,000 seedlings.
  • Five hundred hectares were secured as demonstration fields for local farmers in Dondo.
  • The cashew sector team conducted 22 training sessions in mulching, ten sessions in intercropping, and five sessions in cashew quality picking as a way of ensuring cashew productivity and quality.
  • A total of 3,803 (920 females) smallholder farmers have been reached with the district-wide sessions.
  • This year the Park worked with 7,000 families in the Sustainable Development Zone, in which these farmers earned a total of MZM 1,800,000.00 (US$ 28,125) from the sale of raw cashew nuts.

 

Fantastic fish

Two model ponds and 17 aspiring fish farmers were at the heart of the fish farming project in 2021, followed by construction of a third pond. Fish project managers anticipate two tons of fish will be harvested from the ponds. The process began in cooperation with the government Economic Activities Services in the Gorongosa District Sustainable Development Zone. Meetings were held at the administrative post, bringing on board local leaders, to select the first 17 beneficiaries (9 men and 8 women). This enabled formation of the fisheries participant group and construction of three model ponds at the Vunduzi administrative post. To ensure sustainability, the project is training community members in feed production using local resources. This valuable protein will enhance local nutrition, as well as create an income stream for participating fish farmers. The production cycle lasts six months from maturation to the start of the first sales to outlets in fish markets in the nearest cities and towns.

 

Honey and certifications

The Gorongosa honey project currently supports more than 400 beekeepers in the Sustainable Development Zone, making sustainable honey production and income generation possible through direct support of improved hives, technical assistance

and market assurance products. In 2021 more than 900 new hives were distributed and installed in the Sustainable Development Zone. Today, the honey project is in the process of organic certification, that guarantees the commercialization of our honey in Europe and America, adding value and improving livelihoods.

Read more

www.gorongosa.org
https://facebook.com/gorongosa
Vasco Galente, Director of Communications:
vasco@gorongosa.net

Dr John Ledger is a past Director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, now a consultant, writer and teacher on the environment, energy and wildlife; he is a columnist for the African Hunting Gazette. He lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. John.Ledger@wol.co.za

Stuck in the Mud

Written by Ricardo Leone

Our 2019 safari had a vastly different feel for me – it was my first since I had officially retired from fulltime employment. I had worked for 38 years straight, and our first day in Zambia was just two months after I retired, and being back in Zambia was just what the doctor ordered and really helped me put my employed life behind me. I also stopped shaving – a retirement statement of sorts – but by the end of the trip I knew the rabbinical look was not for me!

 

This was our third trip to the Lower Lupande in the Luangwa Valley and our fifth safari with Peter Chipman and Kwalata Safaris – I felt as if I were going to my second home, albeit in a different room in the house. This year, we stayed at the main camp on Bwana Peter’s concession, closer to the airport and equidistant between the primary hunting areas.

 

Mac was back with us – always a special treat for me to be on safari with my youngest son. This year I was the one who was carefree and chatty, and Mac was the overworked stiff who passed out every night before his head hit the pillow – so funny how one day you become your father and the next your son becomes you – a reminder that life is short and must be lived!

 

The only reservation I had coming into this trip was my bum foot. Two months previously I was walking in a boot and on meds for the pain. My condition is a permanent one – it is a matter correct footwear and pain management. At the time I arrived in Zambia I was out of the boot, though my mobility was limited, and the pain was constant. Bwana Peter must have had a premonition as he had chosen as a PH, Abie du Plooy, whose mobility was more restricted than mine – together we were quite the pair. The Land Cruiser would have to be on fire for us to want to get out of it to hunt! But of course we did get out for our stalks.

 

Abie du Plooy was one of those rare and special people. There are few Abies left on this Earth – he was a real throwback to an early period of African safari hunting. He knew all the legends of the craft, and he had seen and done it all. His mind was still sharp, but his body showed the wear. His language was unfiltered which, at times, reminded me of my early days on the New York trading floor. He also was color blind in the way he approached people. While he treated people according to their functional safari role (operator, PH, client, Jr PH, tracker, scout, camp staff, etc.), he treated everyone the same – as people. Perhaps the junior PH, Kevin might reject this statement, but he was a trainee and devoid of rights. The stories Abie shared with his trackers and the laughs they all had together were gut-bustingly funny and everyone laughed together. Abie was white; his second wife was black, and they had a daughter together along with many other children from their previous marriages and many adoptions. Abie would talk to his wife and young daughter almost daily. We learned much about his family on the trip. So, while his language was rough, and his exterior worn – he was a kind man who seemed to love all people. Abie was good to Mac – more of a teacher than a PH. Mac and I are richer for the experience of hunting with Abie du Plooy. About a year after returning from Zambia, we got word that Abie had passed away. Mac and I were deeply saddened – yet we felt lucky to have known him.

 

The author (L) with Abie du Plooy – he will be missed by many.

 

Day 7 of our safari was one of exploration. We set out to the far end of the concession to look for bushbuck for Mac and to check out the Luangwa for crocs – I was open-minded to taking another croc if we could find a monster- 14-footer or better. We travelled down the familiar main road: we passed “Ellie Alley”, passed the school, passed the Scout Training Camp all the way to the border of Kwalata’s concession. Bwana had warned us that an illegal outfitter had set up on the outskirts of our concession and was hosting naturalist safaris. How crazy was this, on a hunting concession? We were hunting where there were birdwatchers! Bwana was wrangling with him and the local authorities; however, at the time Bwana told us that he did not mind if we hunted where the rogue outfitter had set up camp, but clearly to be careful. (A reminder that hunting with a reputable outfitter is paramount.)

 

We took a right off the main road to work the brush for bushbuck and make our way down towards the river. Then an open expanse of land showed many puku and waterbuck feeding in the grass. We had already taken one puku on this trip and Mac was not interested in another unless we saw a seriously big one. Across the grass, we could see a Land Cruiser with the nature-lovers were glassing something in the bush near their makeshift camp. They could have been in danger if we had decided to take aim at one of the pukus, and Abie sent one of the trackers to speak to the naturalists and ask what they were doing on the hunting concession. Our Land Cruiser was still in the brush on a small road and out of their sight. While we were waiting for our tracker to return, several of us got off the Land Cruiser for a “bathroom break” and then saw a small group of elephants ahead in the road. Abie was closest to them and started to yell and wave his arms to ward them off. This was some sight, as Abie was relieving himself, not bothered by the elephants. Priorities!

 

Meantime, the naturalists’ Land Cruiser drove off, our tracker returned, and we continued towards the river. A couple of hundred yards further we saw two local villagers walking our way signaling to us, and we drove to meet them. They told our trackers that there was a hyena ahead of us stuck in the mud – they had tried to help it, but could not. They pointed where to go, and we drove on. Sure enough, we found the hyena that was not only stuck, but looked near death from exhaustion. All four legs were buried in the mud, and the mud was drying in the hot sun, effectively condemning it to a cruel death. Abie and the trackers discussed how to approach it. I must confess I was thinking to myself that Mother Nature does things for a reason. I was skeptical as to how they were going to get close enough without putting themselves in harm’s way – we all know the power of a hyena’s jaws, exhausted or not.

 

Abie and the trackers seemed unperturbed by the potential danger – instead, they took a rope from the back of the Land Cruiser and approached the bank of the drying stream where the hyena was stuck. The stream ran across the large open area draining into the river, though at this time of year most of the stream was now small pools of water, mud, or dried mud to be more accurate. From the bank of the stream, the guide threw a thick, synthetic rope onto the hyena which instantly bit into it and started gnawing it. Before the guide could pull on the rope, the hyena had severed the rope in two.

 

 Ok – new plan. This time the guide threw the rope onto the hyena and immediately started to pull the rope. As the hyena bit on the rope there was immediate tension on it, and as the guide started to pull, the hyena slowly started to dislodge from the mud. I must admit, I was shocked to see how the plan was working. Then I started to worry again. What if the guide was successful and hyena came after him? Murphy’s Law ensued. The freed hyena, instead of chasing toward the guide as I thought, turned back towards where he had been stuck, and found himself trapped in the mud again. Not discouraged, the trackers threw the rope again to the hyena, this time pulling it towards dried mud and, as planned, it found solid ground and walked up the far bank of the stream onto the open grassy area and started to walk away from the stream. It was walking towards the bush where the birdwatchers were glassing! And at that point neither the hyena nor we knew what was lying in the brush – we found out later that a lion had been there, though we do not know if the hyena encountered it or not.

 

Look how close the guide’s hand is to the hyena’s mouth!

The hyena got with the program and allowed the guide to pull him out.

Free at last! The hyena was truly exhausted and did not know it was walking towards potential danger – a lion further on in the grass.

After we left the hyena, Abie wanted to take a drive along the river to drive by the illegal outfitter’s makeshift camp. He just wanted to remind him he was on a hunting concession. Abie also wanted them to see us – Abie loved to stir the pot. We said it would be fun to be a fly on the wall and hear the dinner conversation at that camp that night – whose concession, was it after all?

 

For Mac and me, saving the hyena was a rewarding experience – to be clear, we were just spectators and admittedly, I was initially the doubter. One should never underestimate your PH and trackers. They are resourceful and know how to problem solve. Abie Du Plooy was both experienced and knew it was his duty to save an animal’s life. One cannot forget that hunting safari operators are conservationists first and foremost. Last, and most profoundly – while the hyena was not doomed to die in the mud that morning, it left us and was heading towards a resting lion concealed in the brush. Life in the bush is harsh, and death is never far away.

 

Abie – we wanted to thank you again for a memorable safari – Mac and I are better people and better hunters for knowing you. May you rest in peace.

Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences

Written by Neil Harmse

Over many years I have written articles and short stories for various magazines and publications, most based on personal hunting experiences, and some articles hopefully of interest on firearms, ammunition and equipment.

 

A number of people have suggested I compile these into a book to share ideas and memories with those who may have missed some along the way.

 

My interest in hunting and guns goes back as far as I can remember. As a youngster aged nine or 10, I found out that my dad had a shotgun that was stored at a friend’s house. Greatly excited, I jumped on my bike and pedalled away to ‘Uncle Mac’ to fetch this treasure. Then, with the shotgun tied to the crossbar of my bike, I cycled the 8-10km back home.

 

The gun was an old Charles Osborne side lock side-by-side, with Damascus barrels. The one barrel had a dent in it, caused when someone had fallen into a pig hole. In those days, I knew nothing about shotguns, Damascus barrels, proof and all such technical points. I knew only that it was a shotgun and I could hunt with it! All I needed was to scrounge some cartridges and the guinea fowl, francolin, pigeons and other birds were in the bag. Over the next few years, I fed anything I could scrounge, from light clay pigeon loads, Eley Grand Prix, Eley Alphamax, shot sizes 6 to AAA, to SG, and anything in between. The gun handled it all without blowing up in my face. The gods of hunting and shooting, as well as my guardian angel, were working overtime.

 

Over the years, I started learning about guns, barrel steel, proof and safety, and still get cold shivers thinking about the chances I took with that old firearm. It is a great tribute to the skill and techniques of the English gunsmiths, and the high standards they employed in their craft, that that gun withstood the abuse to which it was often subjected.

 

When growing up, my weekends were always spent on a farm somewhere, chasing gamebirds, duiker, jackal, or whatever else I could find. Then came the army call-up, which most of us had to endure. I managed to save up my army pay (50c per day, before deductions) and at the end of my nine-month stint, I walked into a shop called Shimwell Brothers in Krugersdorp which sold farming implements, tools, cycles, fishing tackle and some firearms. I walked out as the proud owner of a fine sporting .303. This was not a standard rifle converted from a military model, but a factory-finished sporting gun with a beautiful walnut Monte Carlo stock, with all the trimmings, made by Parker-Hale.

 

As the years went by, while working on various geological projects on farms and prospecting concessions, I organised my life to get in as much hunting as time would allow, mainly impala and the odd kudu or two. In those days, farmers were very generous and hunting was easy to obtain.

 

I managed to find employment with a Canadian mining company which held prospecting concessions in southern Africa, including South West Africa (now Namibia), Angola, Botswana and the Rhodesias (Zimbabwe and Zambia). The company had a wonderful system which allowed employees to accumulate leave and then have a three-month ‘long leave’, which enabled Canadians working overseas to travel home for those periods. This suited me, as I could then plan three-month safaris and get my hunting done wherever I could arrange it. It was heaven! Friends with farms in Rhodesia and northern South West Africa saw a lot of me, with even the odd foray into Angola. If money could stretch, I even booked hunting concessions in Rhodesia’s Zambezi Valley and Botswana.

 

An acquaintance who ran a photographic safari operation in Botswana offered me a position as a freelance guide, taking guests out into the Okavango and the Kalahari concession areas. He also arranged the odd buffalo hunt from time to time. One of these hunts became a bit ‘hairy’ and is covered in a chapter further in this book.

 

Botswana in the early years was a paradise for hunting. A General Game Licence (seasonal) was R60 for 12 or 13 animals; the season was March-November. A supplementary licence could then be obtained for other game such as buffalo: R20 (later R50), lion: R80 and elephant: R150 (later R200). Today these prices seem unbelievable, but they were quite a bit of money back then. A two-week hunting safari, one week in Okavango and one week in Kalahari concessions, including a supplementary licence for buffalo, cost about R300-R400, which included licences, fuel, area and concession fees, food, export fees, staff wages and rations.

 

So much for my early ventures, which started me off and developed my interest in the hunting life. I hope readers enjoy the stories and contents of this book and forgive me if some of them are repeated from various magazine articles.

 

Lastly, I would like to dedicate this book to:

Petrus Silombo – Mentor, companion and expert tracker.

Loot Schulz – Pungwe Tented Lodge, Manyeleti.

John Locke – Wildlife and wilderness guide.

Terry Murfin – Hunting companion and friend.

To order Campfire Thoughts & Reminiscences – the complete book with illustrations, (US $15 excluding S&H) contact Andrew Meyer at andrewisikhova@icloud.com

Chapter 1

Early Days – My First Leopard

In the early ’70s, I was working on a survey for copper on a prospect in the mountains north of Warmbaths in the former Transvaal. I had invested in a SAKO .375 H&H rifle which kicked like the proverbial mule and a 12-bore BRNO SxS shotgun.

 

Farmers in the area were often plagued by leopard which played havoc with their stock, especially sheep and goats, as well as the occasional calf.

Early one morning, one of the farmworkers arrived at my camp to ask for my help. Apparently, a leopard had been caught in a gin-trap which was set for it at a kill. During the night or early morning, the leopard’s struggles had broken the wire holding the trap and it had dragged itself into one of the nearby kloofs. The farmer was afraid it would attack someone walking past and no-one was keen to follow its tracks to try to dispatch the animal. The drag marks of the trap were clear in the sandy terrain, but upon entering the stony kloof, they became difficult to follow. I was armed with my BRNO shotgun loaded with AAA buckshot, while the farm foreman following me only had a single-barrel .410 shotgun. I was more nervous of this foreman behind me, with the shotgun pointed in my direction, than of the wounded leopard we were tracking. At one point, I could make out where the animal had lain down in the sand at the foot of a boulder and tried to claw at the trap on its foot. The kloof was thickly wooded, with scattered boulders along the sides of the stream bed. Earlier on, I had heard baboons giving the odd bark, but suddenly they began creating a fearful cacophony of barks and screams. I was sure they had spotted the leopard and were raising the alarm to warn of their age-old enemy. At this point, the foreman decided he was not going any further and I was quite happy for him to remain as ‘rear guard’. I moved on very slowly, trying to take in each bush or blade of grass before my next step. Apart from the baboons barking from a krans overhead, there was no noise or movement around. Then, suddenly, I picked up a flash of movement on my right: the leopard was already in the air above me, launching itself off one of the large boulders. I had no time to even lift up my gun, but fired from the hip.

 

My First Leopard

The charge of buckshot hit him in the chest and head, and he thumped down about 2m away from me.

 

It took a while for the adrenaline and the shakes to settle, when I realised I had faced and survived my first charge. I also realised that I should have had an experienced tracker to watch the spoor while I concentrated on any movement. It is difficult for one person to do both. I was incredibly lucky – and deeply grateful to my very hard-working guardian angel.

 

Classic and Contemporary African Hunting Literature

Spiral-Horn Dreams – Terry Wieland (Trophy Room Books, 1995, 344 pages.)

Review by Ken Bailey

 

I suppose there’s a certain irony in that finding a copy of Spiral-Horn Dreams is as challenging and frustrating as it can be to hunt the very animals that Wieland writes about. This is a book that’s as elusive as a bongo and as beautiful and perfectly crafted as a mountain nyala.

 

The first interesting tidbit you discover when picking up a copy is that it’s not, as the title suggests, solely about hunting Africa’s fabled spiral-horned animals. To be fair, however, four of the six primary sections of the book are indeed dedicated to members of the spiral-horned fraternity, specifically to the bongo, the mountain nyala, the nyala and the sitatunga. The final section is broken down into individual chapters on the Lord Derby eland, the Royal sable, Mrs. Gray’s lechwe, the greater kudu and the bushbuck; lesser kudu and common eland are ignored entirely. No, the common thread is not horn shape, but rather those antelope that hold the informal title of being “glamor game.” As to the criteria required for nomination to this esteemed club, Wieland lists rarity, beauty, difficulty in hunting, and “a quality that forces the men who hunt them to take themselves to a higher plane of effort, endurance, determination, and in some case, purest suffering.”

 

Potentially misleading title aside, Wieland’s talents as a researcher and journalist come to the fore in a truly engaging way. He does a thorough job of educating readers about the relationship between these animals and hunters, taking us from their time of discovery by the hunter/explorers of the 1800s to modern times. As part of this journey, he goes into meaningful detail about Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt’s famed safari, and their experiences with these shy and elusive animals.

 

The sections dedicated to the four primary species are broken down into anywhere from two to six individual chapters, each an exquisitely written tale chock full of information that provides a greater understanding of the animal than can be found almost anywhere else. It’s compelling and informative reading from start to finish.

 

Spiral-Horn Dreams is generously supported with black and white photos, maps and illustrations that span the timeframe described in the text. Also included are three interesting appendices. The first is an informal rating of the nine game animals anointed with the glamor game title as evaluated by three well-known hunters: Robin Hurt, Tony Henley and Craig Boddington. Some would suggest that comparing these disparate animals to one another is a little on the tacky side, but I must admit that it’s engrossing in its own way. Who doesn’t like to play the rating game?

 

The second appendix, titled “Current Status and Statistics,” describes the distribution, status and physical appearance of each species, and its primary subspecies’, along with recommendations for appropriate hunting rifles and cartridges. Additionally, the top trophies for each as compiled by SCI and Rowland Ward are listed, current as of 1993.

 

The third and last appendix is a bibliography, listing the many and varied sources Wieland used in writing the book. This is an interesting read in and of itself, and provides valuable fodder for identifying other books that fans of African hunting literature should read.

 

Wieland’s pedigree as an honest-to-goodness journalist is worth its weight in gold here; it’s what separates him from the vast majority of today’s outdoor writers. I suspect that’s why copies of Spiral-Horn Dreams are so hard to come by; it’s one of those books that you won’t pass along to friends to read for fear of never seeing it again.

Looking at Kenya

Written by Ian Batchelor

 

I was born in Kenya in 1965, a turbulent time in this part of Africa with the uneasy onset of the “winds of change” sweeping the continent, with all sorts of upheaval and uncertainty. Very few countries in Africa escaped this; some emerged pretty much unscathed, others today still bear the scars of this tumultuous change. Writers like Robert Ruark romanticised this time and period with novels like Horn of the Hunterand Uhuru, still two of my all-time favorite novels! Other classics and favorite reads that bring this period in Africa to life are the works of Izak Denisen, Bartle Bull’s Safari and Markham’s West with the Night to mention a few.

 

Kenya, too, went through its fair share of upheaval and growing pains, but it has put its hand up as one of the top safari and wildlife destinations on the continent. It certainly has the many famous and world-renowned areas like the Maasai Mara, Mount Kenya, the Aberdares, Tsavo, the Ngong Hills and Mau Forest, Lake Turkana (the Jade Sea) and then, of course, Amboseli at the foothills of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. Many of these unusual and distant names were made household names and put on the map by the early hunters and explorers that graced these inhospitable lands (the personalities and list is endless, from Stanley, Burton and Speke to “Karamoja Bell”, Finch-Hatton and Selous). They not only carved a name for themselves but for Kenya too. They created history, started the first safaris, and ventured into the most exciting and unexplored realms, giving birth to what Kenya truly is today, a spectacular land of wildlife, landscapes and tribal culture.  Many of Kenya’s tribes still live their lives relatively unchanged by man and the modern world, offering an insight into a bygone era of African myth and legend…the Masai, the Samburu, the Turkana, the Pokot…the list goes on!

Jumping to the present, I really believe that safari and travel to Africa through much of the last century was often seen as a type of fashion statement, something for the trendy and rich and famous! This was before Meryl Streep and Robert Redford brought Kenya and the era of safari travel alive again on the big screen with Out of Africa. The film was a massive hit, and even today I recommend it to would-be clients and prospective safari-goers. It truly embodies so many things about a very special place and a very special time.

 

A private safari to Kenya is a must for any keen traveler and wildlife enthusiast – it offers some of the greatest photographic opportunities in Africa, both wildlife and people. The land has so many varied landscapes and regions of natural beauty, some of the best coastline on the African continent, from world-class accommodations and facilities to the rugged semi-desert regions on Northern Kenya, inhabited by tribes that have not changed for hundreds of years. Some still warlike and proud, they have carved their own unique existence and niche in some rather inhospitable places. Other tribes are more approachable and amenable to tourists and visitor interaction. The Samburu and the Masai with their splendid, colorful “shukas” offer a wonderful distraction from game viewing and wildlife. This is one of the last places in Africa where one can have a truly interactive experience with the original native tribespeople in their natural state.

 

The beginning of any journey through Kenya starts with Nairobi, a city that is now one of Africa’s hubs. It bustles with life, color and sounds, and names like the Norfolk Hotel with the famous Lord Delamere room will ring bells. Today there is a myriad of choice and options. A particular favorite is The Giraffe Manor. This stylish and exclusive property offers something incredible unique. Whether dining or relaxing surrounded by Africa’s tallest mammals, it is not unusual for an inquisitive giraffe to put its head through the window and inspect one’s table!

If time permits, a visit to the Daphne Sheldrick Wildlife Orphanage is an inspiring and worthwhile way to spend some extra time in Nairobi.

 

The annual migration, or rather the “Great Migration” as it is more commonly referred to, meanders its way between Tanzania and Kenya in an endless cycle of movement and drama, from the birthing of the wildebeest calves on the short-grass plains of the Serengeti to the crossing of the Mara River into Kenya and the onset of the first rains. It is a miracle of nature, a magnificent and breathtaking journey, and something I believe everyone should try to see once in their lifetime at least. The Maasai Mara is wildlife-rich and possibly one of the greatest ecosystems and wildlife areas on the planet. It has diversity and beauty, teems with game, and has a rich make-up of predators. Lion, cheetah and leopard are all abundant, as are elephant and even black rhino in certain areas.

 

There are some wonderful safari combinations with the Maasai Mara, including conservancies to the north, such as Laikipia, Borana, Loisaba and Mugie, with sweeping views of the Aberdares and Mt Kenya (Africa’s second-highest mountain). These gems are now at the forefront of successful wildlife conservation. With community buy-in and support, they are leading the field in so many areas. Lewa is another conservancy that ranks among the best destinations on the continent, with many black and white rhino on the savanna plains. Other exciting wildlife areas in Kenya include Tsavo, the scene of the infamous man-eating lions at the turn of the last century.

Follow in the footsteps of those early adventurers and see for yourself. It will be a journey you will never forget!

Ian was born in Nakuru, Kenya in 1965. He spent the early years of his life in this incredible and varied land before his parents moved to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Ian completed his schooling in Zimbabwe at Prince Edward High School for Boys before going to University where he attained an Honors Degree. He also spent a number of years in the South African Army in the 1980’s, part of a very interesting ‘life experience’ as he puts it!
Ian began his work in the safari industry in 1991, he started out as a trainee canoe guide on the Zambezi River and worked his way up through various positions and companies. He was a Game Ranger at a private reserve in South Africa and then went on to hold the Senior Guide position in a company in Malawi & Zambia. In 1996 Ian moved to Tanzania, initially managing an exclusive new safari camp and then later guiding private and exclusive safaris throughout Tanzania for a leading American owned company. He worked, lived and guided in east Africa for the next 14 years.
Ian is a qualified and experienced professional; holding both a PH and Professional Guide License in Zimbabwe and has a very strong conservation and wildlife centric background. A keen wildlife Photographer who loves to share his knowledge with his guests. Today he runs with his wife, Nonnie a successful safari operation, ‘Upmarket Safaris’ offering 50 odd years of combined experience – specializing in private guided journeys for the discerning traveler. They can be contacted at: ian@upmarketsafaris.net; nonnie@upmarketsafaris.net; www.upmarketsafaris.net

Second Generation Hunt

Written by Darby Wright

We had booked another full bag safari for 2021 with Simon and Kate Rodger’s Safaris de Moçambique. This concession borders Lake Cahora Bassa in Mozambique. My 27-year-old daughter would be the shooter, and her PH would be Brian Ellement, son of the well-known elephant hunter Mark Ellement from Zimbabwe. My son and I had hunted elephant with Mark about 20 years previously on a very successful hunt – we took a 58 lb tusker. We had met Brian and his sister during that hunt when they were about 10 years old, and now Brian was pushing 30! Mark has since passed on and is deeply missed.

 

We started off driving relentlessly searching for fresh buff tracks. After countless miles of driving and following buffs on foot, we were looking for a big, hard-bossed bull. Day after day we followed tracks until we made contact with herds of Dagga Boy groups. We would carefully maneuver, keeping the wind in our faces, crawling, sneaking, and trying to stay out of sight. KK had borrowed a .375 H&H and I had a .416 Rigby for backup.

Our Cruiser sunk to the axle trying to cross a sand river

Darby Wright with .375 H&H that Kayleigh Wright used on safari, .416 Remington used by Darby Wright for backup & .500 Jeffries used by PH Brian Ellement

Finally, after looking over quite a few buffs, Brian whispered that there was a very nice bull in a group. We kept shifting constantly, trying to get into position for a clear shot. The buffs were on the move, feeding into the wind with heavy brush all around them. I stayed back a few yards as KK and Brian moved into position. I saw the sticks come up and it seemed like forever before the shot went off. I was trying to video with my phone camera, and at the shot I jerked the phone, not getting any of the action on video. KK said the shot felt good and that she had been aiming low on the shoulder. Soon we heard the death bellow coming from about 150 yards away. The trackers started smiling and laughing and everyone was elated! We found this magnificent bull and he was a beauty! That night there would be a ‘Dindine’ (local term for a party) which included a full-blown celebration with sundowners, hors d’oeuvres and buff-tail soup.

 

We had gotten word that an agitated bull hippo had been harrassing fisherman, and one man had been severely injured while tending his nets. We loaded our gear into the Land Cruiser and headed out early the next day across the million-acre concession to investigate the situation. PHs are often responsible for eliminating problem animals, and upon our arrival several local fisherman ran up to our truck and in their native tongue told our trackers what had happened. The injured fisherman had been taken to a clinic but they weren’t sure he was going to make it. Those tusks are capable of causing horrendous injuries. We were never able to locate this aggressive hippo, so we decided to hunt the huge vegetation-choked lagoon for a trophy hippo.

Kayleigh Wright with leopard

Enjoying a nice bush lunch while out hunting

Sunset at Main Camp

After much searching we were able to find two hippo bulls completely out of the water sunning on a small island. However, they saw us and entered the water, heads bobbing up and down. We were all sitting on the ground glassing, and Brian set up the short sticks and told KK which one to shoot when comfortable. The .375 barked. “Great shot!” said Brian. He had seen the 110 yard shot connect through his binos. A search party was sent out in a dugout canoe to tow in the hippo once it floated, and when near the shore, we used the Land Cruiser to pull the 6,000 lb beast from the water. All the meat was given to the fishing village, and the excited villagers were thankful for fresh protein.

 

KK had leopard on license, so we set out to shoot several impala rams for bait. At 350 dollars each, that’s some expensive cat food! We hung five baits in likely-looking areas and checked them every day. One bait site was within a mile of camp, and bait number three was heavily fed on with big paw prints around it. We needed a fresh impala bait. A blind was built, and KK and Brian entered it about 4:00 p.m. while I waited in camp.

 

At 8:30 the driver came to tell me he was sure they had got the leopard, so we headed straight to the blind. Brian and the trackers searched with flashlights. KK and I waied in the blind. Suddenly, “KK come see your leopard,” shouted Brian. WOW! Now everyone was fired up. This had been a fantastic leopard hunt! We had another ‘Dindine’, a cat celebration like none other.

 

Meantime, a buff ribcage, hide and hooves, a bunch of mummified impala carcasses from leftover recycled leopard baits, and a horrendously rank hippo leg left over from a previous lion safari, were all transformed into croc baits. It took a few days of wiring and chaining these baits in prime spots. The hippo leg was taken to a peninsula, and when we snuck in the following day to check for crocs, some dinosaur had broken the thick wiring and the chain which held the hippo leg! It was a windy day, so we decided to use our boat to search for a big croc.

We glassed a lot of shorelines and coves. At one point Brian got out of the boat and walked across a peninsula to take a look at the other side. He came running back to the boat, waving for us to grab the gun and sticks and make it quick! KK and Brian led, then they began belly-crawling for a closer shot. I could see the monster croc lying half in and half out of the water, quartering to the right. He was enormous with a huge head and wide body. Brian had KK on the short sticks and it didn’t take long for the .375 to go off. BOOM! The bullet entered forwards into the back of the skull, and after several insurance shots taken for good measure, it was over.

 

This was a huge old croc. The dindine celebration would last well into the night. Drinks and cold beers would be flowing! This Second Generation hunt was an especially memorable safari – hunting with Mark Ellement’s son Brian, and Kayleigh.

 

Those memories will last forever.

PH Brian Ellement with big vundu, CPR (Catch Photograph Release)

Darby Wright lives in New Braunfels, Texas. After 36 years of owning and running a Fire and Water Damage Restoration Company, he now enjoys his time off hunting and fishing in Costa Rica, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Alaska, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. He and his family are always ready for the next adventure.

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