Safari Notes

Africa Coral Reefs It is not only the Great Barrier Reef that is in danger of disappearing. Found mainly along eastern and southern Africa, stretching from the Red Sea to Madagascar to South Africa - Africa's coral reefs are no better off. The threats are many: climate change is one   - which cause rising sea temperatures and cyclones which are destructive to reefs. Bleaching (when either the algae inside die, or the algae leave the coral) and toxic pollution from industrial waste and other human activities, such as uncontrolled fishing, mining, shipping and tourism, are other factors that are causing the destruction of the reefs. The ongoing oil and gas exploration and drilling along eastern Africa, is another major cause for the reefs being more threatened.

Sanganeb - Google Map The first national park  gazetted in the Sudan way back in 1990, Sanganeb is an atoll shaped coral reef on the Red Sea. It, and Dongonab, are said to contain some of the best and most unspoiled coral reefs in the world; both, especially Dongonab, are relatively remote and rarely visited. For the most part, tourism consists of international diving holidays, with visitors flying to Port Sudan and residing on large hotel boats, which travel to anchor at the various diving sites for a few days at a time.

With the seas being continuously and increasing polluted; with air and sea temperatures rising; with fishing becoming more intensive and extensive - can coral reefs be protected? Scientists predict that 70 per cent of the world’s coral reefs may well be destroyed over the next 20-40 years, unless we stop cyanide fishing, pollution, sewage, erosion and clumsy tourism . Plans are being made to give coral reefs more and better protection; if the plans succeed, our Planet will be better off: Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the Earth’s marine environment, but are home to more than a quarter of all known marine fish species and tens of thousands of other species found nowhere else on earth. Reefs also serve as a buffer against incoming storm surges, protecting local populations. Unfortunately, many coastal ecosystems are threatened by human activities including overfishing, agriculture, and urban development. The degradation of coastal ecosystems not only results in a loss of b...

Northern Mozambique. Quirimbas Archipelago. Deltas. Atolls. And about thirty-two islands. Thirty unspoiled islands that are a part of, and hug the coast of, Mozambique. Thirty islands with pristine coral reefs, abundant marine life and a fascinating cultural heritage . Thirty-two remote islands that, due to Mozambique's years of war for independence and thirty more years of civil war, have been kept isolated and very few tourists visit. Thirty-two pristine, unexplored, untouched, entirely beautiful tourist paradise; about half of which are uninhabited. Thirty-two islands with no roads or shops. As Bob Dylan said: I like to spend some time in Mozambique The sunny sky is aqua blue And from UNESCO : The Quirimbas Archipelago, a cultural and natural heritage in northern Mozambique, consists of 31 islands stretching south from Cape Delgado for approximately 200 miles. These islands, running along the coast, are partly linked to the coast by sand bars, coral reefs, mangroves and ...

Few countries are as well positioned as Australia is, in protecting and saving such an extraordinary, World natural treasure as the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia which extends east-south, east of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Australia has the resources and due to its remote, isolated location - it can and should grant protection to 300,000 square miles of unspoilt tropical ocean . "WWF and the tourism industry are very concerned that illegal fishers will raid the Coral Sea reefs - mainly for shark fins for the Asian market," said Richard Leck, WWF's marine policy manager. "The Coral Sea presents us with a unique opportunity to safeguard one of the world's few remaining pristine marine regions." The tropical ocean, between Australia and the south-west Pacific, was also under threat from future plans for undersea oil and gas extraction, WWF Australia said. Telegraph.co.uk WWF's Richard Leck says the Coral Sea reefs are still pristine and need...

The Great Barrier Reef How long can one of the world's most striking, most remarkable, most wonderful and most unique natural wonders survive the destructive carelessness and neglect of Man? Australia's Great Barrier Reef is rapidly dwindling in size and may completely disappear. Several factors are conspiring to degrade the reef: tropical cyclones, attacks from the coral predator the crown-of-thorns starfish, and rising water temperatures. Incredibly, all these destructive forces are apparently, mainly, caused by human activity and impact. The cyclones and the rising water temperatures affecting the Great Barrier Reef and most other parts of the world, are related to man-caused global warming. More intensive farming along the coast and inland, adjacent to the Reef; and urban runoff, are feeding the predatory Crown of Thorns Starfish , which is the Reef's most aggressive destructive force. Very few living creatures can reproduce so many as this starfish: each femal...

The Maldives is sinking! And is prone to tsunamis ! But, it's one of the most beautiful places I can ever imagine! Just breathtaking! "Sun, sand and sea, a thousand ‘Robinson Crusoe’ islands, massive lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and turquoise, dazzling underwater coral gardens; a perfect natural combination for the ideal tropical holiday destination. However there is more to the Maldives than just that." Visit Maldives "The pearls of the Indian Ocean, as it is popularly known, are situated in the South West of Sri Lanka, on the equator. The numerous coral reef islands, 1,190 in total , form an archipelago of 26 major atolls ( groups of neighbouring coral islands). The country stretches 820 km north to south and 120 km east to west. Out of the incredibly large number of islands only 200 islands are inhabited, with 44 islands adapted as exclusive resort islands. The climate is generally warm and humid. Sun shines all year through with aver...