Safari Notes

"Until the 1982 conflict in the Falkland Islands commanded the world's attention, few had heard of South Georgia Island. Southeast of the Falklands, South Georgia is lost in the midst of the Southern Ocean, one of the most remote regions on earth. South Georgia's climate is dominated by the freezing effects of the Antarctic continent 1,000 miles to the south. Glaciers coat more than half the island, and the scenery is spectacular, as if the Alps had been dropped down in the south Atlantic." "South Georgia Island is isolated from the civilized world and trapped in the most cruel of climates, but it was destined for discovery. From its first recorded sightings more than 300 years ago until the 20th century, this icy paradise in the Southern Ocean has attracted explorers, merchants and governments." "Despite its isolation, South Georgia is a vital breeding oasis for some of the greatest concentrations of wildlife on the planet. More than 2 million southern...

They have have been called the grandest living flying machine on Earth . No wonder: the Albatross has a wing span of 3 meters and a body mass of up to 12 kilograms. They can live for up to as long as 60 years. But as they have one of the lowest reproductive rates of any birds and as they are being hunted and killed, they may become extinct. Biologists have discovered that swordfish, tuna and other fishing fleets, are catching these birds while fishing, and are killing more that tens of thousands of these birds every year. In a couple of decades many species may be wiped out unless urgent action is taken . More: British Antarctic Survey , Save The Albatross , Endangered , National Geographic , WWF , Facts , petcaretips , Earthlife , antarcticaconnection , coolantarctica , Wikipedia , Encarta , Ecuador Travel , Books

Have you watched the movie ' MARCH OF THE PENGUINS '? Watch it and you will understand why these animals are unlike no other creature on Earth. You will be left in awe and wonder at how any living thing can be so extraordinary, persistent and enduring as these heroic penguins. And you will never forget the amazing Emperor Penguin. A penguin and an animal that is undoubtedly one of the few greatest living wonders and miracle of our Planet. More on the Emperor: emperor-penguin.com , National Geographic , Enchanted Learning , Penguin World , Anatarcconnection , Animal Diversity , coolantarctica , BBC , Whale Times , Nature.ca , Books , Scholar Image: esf.edu

Very few people visit the Kidepo National Park in Uganda. Even fewer tourists ever visit the rugged, breathtaking Ugandan hidden wonder, tucked away in the triangular North Eastern part of the country, bordering Kenya (in the East) and Sudan (in the North). Most Ugandans outside the district , very rarely visit Karamoja , the district where the Park is or Moroto, the largest town in the district. It is that remote. And pristine. Of all Ugandan national parks and game reserves, Kidepo is the most remote and has the most unique wilderness and terrain. Karamoja too, is the most dry and the hottest part of Uganda; it has a most unique people too: the Karamojong, whose warriors, tall and black, still walk and graze their cattle while almost totally naked; they seem too, to have a liking for AK47 rifles. The Kalashnikov seems to be the only modern technology that Karamojong men have accepted; unlike in most parts of Uganda where the mobile phone is. Sadly, semi arid Karamoja , though larg...

The Black Footed Ferret's existence is threatened and endangered mainly due to its main food: the prairie dog being very much reduced in numbers due to hunting and poisoning. And also due to the loss of their prairie grassland habitat and diseace. Since 1967, it has been classified as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As of 2007, the total wild population of Black-footed Ferrets was well over 650 individuals, plus 250 in captivity . It is the only ferret that is native to America. More on the Ferret: Black Footed Ferret Org. , AZGFD , Recovery Program , Defenders , National Geographic , Animalinfo , Endangered.gov , Species.gov , tpw.state.tx , Enchanted Learning , Ferret Haven , Nature.ca.notebook , Books , Scholar

"Africa must revert to what it was before the imperialists divided it. These are artificial divisions which we, in our pan-African concept will seek to remove." "Countries such as the U.S. and Britain have taken it upon themselves to decide for us in the developing world, even to interfere in our domestic affairs and to bring about what they call regime change." "The Commonwealth is a mere club, but it has become like an 'Animal Farm' where some members are more equal than others. How can Blair claim to regulate and direct events and still say all of us are equals." "Let Blair and the British government take note and listen. Zimbabwe is for Zimbabweans. Our people are overjoyed, the land is ours. We are now the rulers and owners of Zimbabwe." "Let Mr. Bush read history correctly. Let him realise that both personally and in his representative capacity as the current President of the United States, he stands for this "civilisa...

Mohammed Wardi began singing at the age of five; his first hit was in 1960, and he still has the most extraordinary effect on a Sudanese audience, having come to embody the collective memories and aspirations of an entire nation. Mohammed Wardi sings not only in Arabic but also in his native Nubian - a quite different sound from Ali Hassan Kuban - drawing on 7,000 years of culture. The soaring voice of "golden throat" Mohammed Wardi has won acclaim right across the African Sahel and the Arab world. Although this singer from Nubia is now in exile, his music always stirs emotion for many Sudanese, sometimes with directly political allusion - to the October 1964 popular uprising, for example - and sometimes more obliquely, but always with powerful resonance. He was born in 1932 near old Wadi Halfa. Schooled across the border in Egypt, he returned as an elementary school teacher, then moved to Khartoum in 1957 and became a professional singer two years later. Four decades and 30...

A historian of urbanism once described cities as cultural complexes that seem to have sprung up on the banks of a few great rivers. The nucleus of such settlements, he added, must have appeared long before the city had come to full maturity. Khartoum seems to conform to this principle, for at a much earlier date before its development into a large urban conglomerate in modern times, a Mesolithic (i.e. Middle Stone Age) flourished on the left bank of the Blue Nile. From the same location, Meroitic pottery dating between the first century BC and the second century AD was recovered. The confluence of the Blue and White Niles, which is the main element of the topography of the City, must have dictated the choice of Khartoum as the seat of government during the early years of the Turco-Egyptian regime (1821-1885). This period witnessed a gradual expansion of the town in the modern times. Accounts of European travelers who visited the Sudan in the mid-19th century indicate that the town had ...

"One minister can have as many as three cars, huge offices, extravagant allowances in a country where the majority of people live below one dollar a day" Wangari Mathai Kenya's president has announced a new power-sharing cabinet. In a country that has 210 elected Members of Parliament and 12 appointed (nominated) members; forty (42 to be exact)ministers have been named and more than that are now their assistants (52). See the full list of the '40' and their assistants here . As for the key cabinet posts: Prime Minister: Raila Odinga Vice-President and Home Affairs: Kalonzo Musyoka Finance Minister: Amos Kimunya Deputy PM and Trade: Uhuru Kenyatta Deputy PM and Local Government: Musalia Mudavadi Agriculture Minister: William Ruto Hopefully, inspite of their cars, huge offices and extravagant allowances - the minsiters, their assistants and the politicians can ' put politics aside and get to work .' Hard, serious, team work. They owe it to t...

GENUS SPECIES: Lasiorhinus krefftii. Also called: t he Queensland hairy nosed wombat, the Queensland wombat, the Soft furred wombat, the Broad nosed wombat, Yaminon, the Moonie River wombat, Barnard's hairy nosed wombat, and the Hairy nosed northern wombat. Nickname: Bulldozer of the bush. It is one of the world's rarest animals and lives only in Australia. Due to drought, floods, habitat loss and competition on its habitat from domestic animals like sheep and cattle, this creature's existence in highly threatened and less than one-thousand are known to exist in the wild. More on the Wombat: Animal.info , Wombat Foundation , Queenslad Conservation Council , environment.gov.au , premcab.sa.gov.au , australiafauna , queensland.gov , Wikipedia , AnimalDiversity , Wombania , ABC.net , UNEP-WCMC , suite101.com , National Geographic , NSW Gvt. , Australian Animals , Southern cousin , Common wombat , Wombanias

The early southern African towns and villages lacked any central authority until discipline was imposed, first by the 12th or 13th century AD ruler Mutapa (i.e. Emperor) Mutota and then by a descendant, Mutapa Matope. Matope was the greatest conqueror of the early Mutapas. In a series of campaigns, he conquered the Tavara and Tonga. In addition, he seized the Barwe kingdom. Economic considerations seem to have been paramount. Swahili traders from the East African coast, used to sail to the mouth of the Zambezi. Six leagues up stream was the town of King Mongalo. There the Swahili hired almadias (i.e. barges) to carry their merchandise along the channel to a trading bazaar. This was located in a large village in Tonga country. There, Swahili and Shona traders met and exchanged goods. In the interior, another famous trading centre was in the land of the Mambara. Here large quantities of copper were traded. The overland trade route with Sofala through Manyika had its own bazaars. In addit...

Ever heard of the argan tree (argania spinosa)? Outside morocco, it is not much known; but it is the perfect crop for hot deserts with extreme temperatures and little water or poor soil. Its oil which comes from the nuts of the tree, is said to: treat aging,  keep the skin fresh, treats cancer, treats cardiovascular diseases, treats arthritis, and treats measles in children. Its tree can live up to 200 hundred years. More on the Argan: The New York Times , Herbal Properties , IDRC , Mondeberebere , Aramcoworld , Tree.org , TeatroNaturale , Suite101 , ArganBeute , Maghrebia , Wildwoodgroves , BBC , Wikipedia Image: Google

Due to its very large nose, especially of the male, the Proboscis Monkey ( Nasalis larvatus ) is very much unlike any other monkey. It is endangered and found only in the Borneo region, mainly in the Brunei Bay, and along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah. The monkey lives in groups of about 15, but can move from one group to another. Due to hunting, logging and human activity, the monkey's population is being rapidly reduced.  More on the Monkey: WWF , IUCN , A-Z Animals , BBC , The Primata , Suite101 , National Geographic , Science Blogs , Earthendangered , Naturspot , jrank , Nature.com , Books , Youtube