African Hunting Safaris

Camera gear I take on a hunting safari in Africa

2008-08-27T16:51:00.000-05:00

After four African safaris, I'm willing to share my advice on cameras, gear and equipment for hunters and the non-hunters who go with them.

My new camera is a Pentax k200d DSLR. I stepped up to DSLR from point-and-shoot just this year. Long, long ago in the dark ages, I had a film SLR from Pentax, so this new camera is like going full circle.

Lenses
I will admit that I use the two lens kit that came with my camera, even though camera snobs will not be impressed. The Pentax 15-55mm wide angle zoom was terrific for landscapes with a wide open feeling. I have a polarizing filter for it, and that helps cut down on glare from water and to enhance the sky in most settings.

The second lens is a Tamron 100-300mm zoom. That was also a big step up in zoom range from my last camera. I always find myself wanting more zoom! But there is a limit, and the 300 is pretty big. Not sure I would go with any larger of a zoom, unless I can handle it and make sure it is compact enough to carry comfortably.

Fighting dust and preventing damage

I take a lens pen and a microfiber cleaning cloth. I also specifically chose the Pentax for its reputation for quality weather sealing. That won't stop the dust you gain when you change lenses. I see now that I should have run the self-cleaning shaker function, probably each evening.

Before I left, I put a screen protector over the big back LCD, because my old one got scratched in Africa. The screen protector I found was made for a Palm PDA, but was more than big enough, so I trimmed it down.

Power and recharging
My Pentax uses AA batteries, and that was another big reason I chose it. In a pinch, AAs are available all over the earth.

I brought two sets of rechargeables, plus one set of lightweight lithiums. The recharger is compatible with world voltages, and it has a car adapter. Most safaris involve at least some driving, so you can recharge even where there isn't standard electricity. I also took a European plug adapter, and that worked most places in Namibia, as well as for the layover in Frankfurt, Germany.

Memory
You can never have too much memory. An 8GB SDHC card gives me almost 2000 photos, so I took two of them. Safaris present all kinds photo opportunities, so go prepared.

Camera Bag
I bought a Crumpler Four Million Dollar Home from eBags just for my Pentax and lenses. It holds all the gear, except the recharger (which stays in the car or in the tent). That carried my equipment while on airplanes and while riding in the truck. When walking, I put the camera strap over my shoulder, and slipped the big lens into the pocket of my cargo pants.

Point and Shoot Backup Camera
I still take my old Olympus D765 UltraZoom as a backup camera. Because it is small and a bit less obtrusive, I used it to take pictures of people this trip. But it was my main camera on the two previous safaris, and it does take great shots!

Namibia: Trophy Hunters Bring in Millions

2008-03-13T22:25:00.000-05:00

New Era (Windhoek)

10 March 2008
Posted to the web 10 March 2008

Wezi Tjaronda
Windhoek

Trophy hunting in Namibia is estimated to generate around N$500 million per year.

Hunting quotas given to communal area conservancies in the past two years earned the conservancies around N$11 million per year. In addition to employment creation, goods and services and taxation, it is estimated that income from trophy hunting is much more and is expected to be around N$500 million.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism's strategic plan document released last week said trophy hunting on freehold land continued to generate considerable foreign currency.

"Trophy hunting continues to be an important economic driver in rural areas," said the document.

In the past two years, the ministry awarded 20 big game quotas to conservancies.

Trophy hunting, which falls under conservation and wildlife successes, is listed as one of the ministry's achievements in the past 10 years.

The other achievements include environmental protection, sustainable land management and environmental sustainability of production systems, conservation of species and habitats and protected areas, community-based natural resource management programmes and tourism.

By last year, Namibia's protected area network was expected to cover 17 percent of the country. In addition to 19 percent, which is the area covered by communal area conservancies, around 36 percent of Namibia is under some form of conservation management.

"Most of the land within Namibia's diversified protected area network have pragmatic conservation management objectives that instead of locking away natural assets, have provided the engine for much of the tourism-related economic activity," the strategic plan said.

Namibia has 29 vegetation types, of which 21 have at least 10 percent of their area within the protected area network, six of the country's biomes have at least 20 percent of their areas protected while 32 percent of each of the Namibia's wetlands habitat fall within the protected area network.

The ministry said there are signs that rare and endangered species are increasing in number and expanding back into areas where they have previously been eliminated.

Among these areas is the northwest, where the antelope population has increased while free ranging black rhinos are also registering a healthy population and are no longer subjected to poaching like before. The country also has a healthy population of elephants with almost no incidences of poaching even though they live outside protected areas.

"Wildlife on freehold land has also increased over the past decade and places are at such high levels that they can support a quality wildlife-based tourism and trophy hunting," it added.

Since the passing of conservancy legislation in 1996, 50 communal area conservancies have been formed covering more than 118704 square kilometres.

During 2005 alone, community participants raked in N$26.1 million in financial benefits while private sector partners generated a turnover of almost N$70 million. It is estimated that the net income generated by the operations exceeded N$140 million.

The community-based natural resource management programme does not only empower marginalised communities through decision-making and institutional development, but also builds skills and capacity, provides jobs and generates income at community level.

Welcome!

2007-05-27T22:55:00.001-05:00

Welcome to African Hunting Safaris blog, written by Joe and Becky McCray. We post pictures from our trips and news articles about the areas we've hunted.

We've hunted four times with Vaughan Fulton's Classic Safaris. All the hunts were on communal conservancies. I encourage you to learn more about how this benefits the local people:

We posted an inital report at First pics from 2006. The trip included two different areas, so the rest of our posts are divided into Kasika and Ehi Rovipuka.

2006 Kasika Conservancy, Caprivi Strip, Buffalo Hunt:

2006 Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Northwest Namibia, Leopard and Plains Game Hunt:

Posts from our 2005 hunt in the Caprivi Strip of Namibia include:

Our first safari was in 2003, in the Northwest of Namibia.

Thanks for stopping in. Feel free to leave a comment.

Photos for the taxidermist

2006-10-08T07:11:00.001-05:00

Click on any picture, and it will take you to a Flickr page for that photo. Click All Sizes to zoom in further.

Leopard and plains game stories from Ehi Rovipuka

2006-08-21T13:54:00.000-05:00

In 2005 we went to the Caprivi on a buffalo hunt. Unfortunately, the area was suffering through a drought, and the buffalo were keeping themselves in Botswana, only coming down to the Chobe to drink at night.

During one of the conversations about other game, Gert mentioned that they had already booked hunters for all the leopard tags they were allotted at Ehi Rovipuka during 2006. Later, after returning home, we booked back for a 14 day buff hunt in the Caprivi as well as plains game in Ehi Rovipuka. When talking to Vaughan, I told him that while I knew the leopard tags were spoken for, to keep us in mind if someone cancelled or was unsuccessful. And then I largely forgot about it. Kudu and buff was the focus.

When Vaughan picked us up at Onganga in Windhoek, he said a previous hunter hadn't filled his leopard tag, and we could hunt one while at E.R.

But I knew enough about leopard hunting to know that the odds of getting a cat in the seven days we had at the western conservancy were very slim.

Good enough, I thought. We'll treat this as a "preview of coming attractions", get to see some baits put up, check them and kind of get our feet wet at this leopard business. Then come back for a 14 day leopard hunt and be serious about it. Maybe, if we're really lucky, we'll get to see a female or small male come to the bait.

First day

After checking the sights on the rifle, we went looking for a kudu. No luck, but we did find a herd of zebra and took an old stallion. For some reason, I love zebra hunting and luckily there are plenty at Ehi Rovipuka. We skinned and quartered it, and set off that afternoon to refresh the leopard baits.

We set three, using trees Gert had baited from before. He explained that there were two toms using that section of river, and he showed us where their territories bordered. Gert really knows the resident cats, and has given each of them a name.

Second day

We went on a long drive to Palm Springs looking for kudu. Climbed several mountains, but struck out on the kudu. Took a nice springbok instead.

Third day

More kudu hunting. No luck, but did take a 38 inch Gemsbok late that afternoon, in a little valley, high up a mountain. To pack him out, Gert put the front quarters over his shoulders and carried them down to the truck. Not to be outdone, Elia picked up the back half of the gemsbok and raced him down. And won.

Fourth day

Checked baits and a small female had hit one of them. Tracks indicated that she had only run off when we approached. Freshened it with a gemsbok leg, hoping a larger cat would run her off and claim it himself.

Fifth day

Checking the leopard baits we found a big male had nearly consumed an entire zebra leg. To refresh it, we stole the third zebra leg from a bait that hadn't been touched.

We set up the blind tent across the sand river and covered it with limbs.
Everything set, we left for camp and returned at 4 p.m. No action.

Sixth day

Finally got a shot at a kudu high up above us. I badly misjudged the range and was hitting way low, but bagged him. 52 inches, narrow and tight curls.

Back to the baits, the tom had again nearly eaten all of the second zebra leg. Refreshed this bait by stealing the gemsbok leg. The female had only nibbled on it. Sat in the blind again, but no action.

Exiting the blind that night, Gert looked up at the moon and said he thought this tom was a morning feeder, especially with this moon.

Seventh Day

So, the next morning at five a.m. we again crept into the blind. The wind was blowing through the blind from front to rear, and we stayed awake by shivering and waiting for light. I hadn't brought my binoculars and was relying on Gert to keep an eye on the bait tree.

Expecting some warning, I was surprised when Gert whispered that the cat was in the tree, and made the hand motion to shoot.

I put the rifle up on the shooting sticks and looked through the scope. Sure enough, the cat was sitting on the limb like a dog, intent on munching the bait.

I removed my right glove and released the safety, and then carefully lined up the crosshairs on the pale form. Unfortunately, there was a three inch diameter limb running across the shoulder. Crowding the limb as much as I dared, I squeezed the trigger.

"You missed!" Gert whispered.

"What?"

"I saw him bouncing away through the grass."

How could I have missed? I ran through my entire vocabulary of curse words, found a few I liked and repeated them until I got bored with them.

"I couldn't see the bullet hit with the muzzle flash..." Gert allowed as we got out of the blind.

We went back to the truck, letting the light improve.

"I heard the shot," Becky said when we reached the Toyota.

"Well I missed, so don't be so damn cheerful!" I was not in a good mood.

But during the drive down and around to the sand river then back to the bait tree, I went through the shot a dozen times, and I kept coming up with the same answer. No way I could have missed.

Gun was shooting good. All one shot kills except the kudu, and that was my fault. Not over sixty years, stead rest and my shooting arm elbow was stuck in the cupholder of the chair.

The cat has to be dead. I kept telling myself that anyways.

We got to the tree and to nobody's surprise, there wasn't a dead leopard under it. But behind the tree was blood. First a little, and then a clear trail into the grass and headed toward brush.

"This just keeps getting better and better," I thought, wishing now that I HAD missed.

Gert grabbed his 458 Lott and I had my 375. We started the follow-up. Guns shouldered and safeties off, we eased forward.

One step at a time.

I kept my eyes on the brush, trying to see the cat before he started his charge. To my left Gert was scanning the grass, doing the same.

"There he is!" Gert breathed, then repeated, "There he is!"

I saw out of the corner of my eye, Gert had his rifle aimed at something in the grass to our left. Then I saw the cat.

"If he moves, shoot him!" Gert instructed.

No kidding? I had my gun on the leopard now, and was ready to shoot again for any reason, maybe to just break the tension.

We sidled sideways, across a washout and closer to the leopard.

Finally, Gert leaned forward and tapped the cat on the head with his muzzle.

"You have no idea what you have here!" Gert said to me, then shook my hand. I was laughing.

"He's huge!" Gert blurted.

Becky came down out of the back of the truck where she had been watching the follow up.

"I done shot a spotted lion!" I told her.

Gert was running around yelling. I was still laughing, until I checked the blood trail. The leopard had run straight towards the brush, then fishhooked around and hid in the grass. He had died with his feet under him, waiting for us.

Gert tried twice to lift him, failed, then took off his coat and tried again. He WAS huge. The two of us carried the cat out to the river bed for photos.

After the picture taking, we loaded "Terry" up and went back to camp. Gert decided to have some fun, and told Elia to unload the truck without mentioning the cat. As soon as he saw the leopard, Elia started dancing and shouting, bringing everyone from the camp staff to see the cat. More pictures ensued.

Overheard from Gert on the sat phone to Vaughan, "Baie, baie big."

Africa Namibia hunting safari

News: Caprivi Flood Areas Cut Off From Development

2006-08-17T22:32:00.000-05:00

Namibia: Caprivi Flood Areas Cut Off From Development

New Era (Windhoek)

August 15, 2006
Posted to the web August 15, 2006

Surihe Gaomas

Although Impalila Island in north-eastern Caprivi is destined to host a luxury country-style hotel soon, it is cut off from the mainstream transport network ultimately stifling tourism and denying market access for many local farmers.

Over the past 16 years, frequent flooding to this low-lying area has destroyed roads and bridges, making it difficult for villagers on the island to have access to development like the rest of the country.

Other low-lying areas like Kasika and Schuckmansburg are also trapped in the low-development category due to their inaccessibility for crucial business ventures.

In view of this, the Chief of the Masubia, Kisko Liswani III, informed the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Doreen Sioka, during her courtesy visit to Bukalo recently that people in these areas live under very difficult circumstances.

"There are no shops on these islands and people resort to buying in neighbouring Zambia and Botswana," said one of the chief's senior councillors. Even when people travel or go shopping, getting past immigration - particularly on the Botswana side of the border - proves difficult at times.

The Munitenge (chief) at Bukalo requested the use of ferries for river transport as a solution to this perennial problem. Currently, people use dugout canoes, but this could be perilous in rivers infested with crocodiles and hippos.

Concern was also raised that the lack of ferry transport causes numerous problems for the area as a whole.

According to the Regional Poverty Profile on Caprivi, not only does this affect access to services, access to markets to sell produce, access to agricultural inputs and drugs, but this also results in the reluctance of qualified teachers to teach in remote areas and absenteeism of educational health and other staff who have to go to town to receive their salaries and buy needed supplies.

"In the worst cases, this sometimes took them out of remote villages and away from their work for up to a week at a time," reads the report.

Government was thus requested to urgently look into providing some kind of ferry transport for flood-affected islands in the Caprivi.

Besides farmers, tourists and business people, the elderly are also affected, especially when they have to go and collect their monthly pension payouts. Some hire other people to fetch it for them, but that means paying not only the hired person but for the canoe as well.

"For the past three months, people have not been getting their pensions and at least a ferry or boats are required to transport these people during such times," said one senior councillor.

While most Caprivians go to Botswana for shopping, others reason that the prices of goods that they buy are more expensive due to foreign currency exchange rates.

Relevant Links

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Namibia
Food, Agriculture and Rural Issues

As a fish farming area, " people are really keen on selling their fish in Namibia, but there is no road or boat transport to take them there," said a man. It appears that there is not much development in the floodplains of the Caprivi as 'war clinics' that were built during the previous colonial dispensation are still there.

Residents requested parliamentarians to come and see the lack of development for themselves. "When someone gets sick, there's no helicopter or hospital around. But during the past, we used to have big ferries that travel from Katima to Impalila," said another senior headman.

Questions were also raised about what happened to the 2003 flood disaster money that was meant to purchase a ferry to assist flood victims.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Namibian Wildflowers, Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy

2006-08-14T16:21:00.000-05:00

I was surprised to find wildflowers growing, even after most of the grass had finished its growth. So, while the guys hunted, and hiked, and hiked, and hiked, I took pictures!

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Namibia Birds, Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy

2006-08-14T16:12:00.000-05:00

I think this is a corn weaver.

Francolins (everybody's favorite)
Another weaver.

This is why they call them weavers.
I didn't really expect hummingbirds in the dry Northwest of Namibia. But here is the sunbird, that seems very similar. It was feeding on the little purple flowers in the bottom of the pic. (The red are seed pods, not flowers.)
Time to go!

A shocked hornbill.
Rosy faced lovebirds, perched right behind the camp.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Gemsbok

2006-08-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

A herd of gemsbok males come over the hillside.
Joe and Gert enjoy the sunset.
Mike, Jackson, Elia, and Gert.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Ehi Rovipuka landscapes

2006-08-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

The terrain at Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy ranges from flat grasslands to rocky hills. Hunting here involves driving to cover the great distances, walking and hiking, and lots of mountain climbing!

Gert leads Joe uphill in search of kudu.
Because of record-breaking rains, the grass was much taller than we remember from 2003.

Those record setting rains flooded the sand rivers. Dead grass and debris stacked up against every tree and boulder in the riverbed. The water must have been over six feet in this particular place.
View from the mountain side.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Black-faced Impala and elephant at Ehi Rovipuka

2006-08-01T15:52:00.000-05:00

Black-faced impala are quite rare, but seem to thrive at Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy. These three females are clearly doing well.

Here's the male black-faced impala.
Elephant are common at Ehi Rovipuka during certain seasons. In late June, they are rare. This is the only one was saw, and it didn't hang around long!
Africa Namibia hunting safari

Classic Safaris Camp in Ehi Rovipuka

2006-08-01T15:48:00.000-05:00

This is the "new" camp at Ehi Rovipuka. The guest and PH tents are clustered around the dining tent, and tucked under the trees along a dry river bank. It is shady and very pleasant.

OK, so this year's portrait didn't come out as good as our first year!

Africa Namibia hunting safari

The buffalo hunt

2006-07-27T21:41:00.000-05:00

On the last morning, almost at the last minute, we came upon a lone buffalo bull along the channel. He ran into a flooded area thick with tall grass. The bull was not in a good position for shooting, so Vaughan told Joe to wait, hoping for a better shot.
Joe took his first shot, and then a follow up as the bull ran, both good hits. We moved up very cautiously, and Joe put one more shot into the bull for insurance.

Vaughan seems very pleased with the outcome.
Tracker James, Joe, Game Guard Edward, and Vaughan.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

NEWS: Elephant Populations - Local Communities, Local Solutions

2006-07-27T09:17:00.000-05:00

This article mentions both of the communal conservancies we visited in the Caprivi: Kasika and Salambala.

Namibia: Elephant Populations - Local Communities, Local Solutions

The Namibian (Windhoek)
NEWS
July 20, 2006
Posted to the web July 20, 2006

By Mark Schulman

Part 2 of a two-part series

IN Namibia's north-eastern Caprivi Strip, where Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe all meet, there are thousands of elephants crossing borders at any given time.

In northern Botswana alone there are an estimated 100 000-plus elephants growing at a rate of five per cent a year, and are damaging the vegetation in protected areas such as Chobe National Park at a record pace.

Elephant numbers in this part of southern Africa far exceed the population in Kruger (South Africa) and are also causing huge headaches for wildlife management and local people.

"There are definitely too many elephants here and they are causing a considerable amount of damage to farmers' crops and even people," said Beaven Mulani, a field co-ordinator with the WWF-funded Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC) in the Caprivi, which is experiencing a rise in elephant-human conflict.

Beaven's grandmother was killed by an elephant when he was only five-years old and the issue is close to home.

"Something like culling would destroy a lot of elephants," he said.

"If we are talking about conservation we need to find the right balance.

We must look at the needs of the communities.

The only solution here is to give hunting quotas to the conservancies.

"This will give the communities more control in managing wildlife."

Conservancies are a unique conservation system in Namibia that give local communities responsibility and right of ownership over their natural resources and wildlife.

Registered conservancies acquire the rights to sustainable wildlife hunting quotas set by the country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

Wildlife, including small numbers of elephants, can either be hunted and consumed by the community, or sold to trophy hunting companies, with proceeds going directly to the communities.

"Communities once received nothing for the use of their resources, now they are getting paid for it," said Chris Weaver, Director of WWF Namibia.

"You can do a lot with the money, like improving education, increasing employment, and of course, sustainably managing natural resources.

The idea is for local communities to manage the land, wildlife and natural resources so that they are profitable, and ultimately, self-supporting."

In the Samambala Conservancy, for example, the community can earn as much as US$11 000 (about N$80 000) for an elephant.

In the nearby Kasika Conservancy, there are quotas for four elephants, six buffaloes, two hippos and two crocodiles.

These quotas, if filled, have a potential worth of over US$80 000 (about N$576 000).

"Community attitudes towards wildlife conservation have changed since the establishment of conservancies in my region," explained Chief Joseph Tembwe Mayuni, Chief of the Mafwe tribe, which lives in the Mayuni Conservancy in Caprivi.

"As my people see that benefits are going directly to the community, they know it is in their interest to look after wildlife."

RED HOT Although communities in Namibia have become more tolerant of wildlife as a result of the conservancies, it doesn't mean that the human-wildlife conflict has gone away.

Elephants in many places still disrupt daily life.

Children in the Impalila Conservancy near the border with Botswana are often too frightened to go to school because elephant herds are in the area.

As a result, many children's education has suffered.

Sometimes the conflict ends in tragedy.

At the Kasika Conservancy in recent years, five people have died from wildlife attacks - three from hippos, one from a crocodile, and one from an encounter with an elephant.

About 1 600 elephants come across the border from Botswana's Chobe National Park each year from June to November to graze on the lands of the Kasika Conservancy.

Elephants are also among the main culprits behind crop raiding, easily damaging a farmer's yearly income in a matter of minutes.

"My field has been raided several times," said Moses Maseku from the village of Sikaunga.

"This is a problem, especially as I have no other income and I get no compensation.

When one elephant comes, more are sure to follow.

I am expecting more raids.

There is nothing I can do."

Elephants are not just big, but smart.

They can easily knock down fences protecting crops, even disable electric ones, and are not scared of loud noises made by farmers defending their crops.

But it seems that they have one weak spot - they don't like spicy food.

Chilli peppers have shown to be an effective elephant deterrent in Namibia, as well as other parts of Africa experiencing elephant problems.

Either mixed with engine oil on rope barriers around the fields or mixed with dried elephant dung and burned to make 'chilli bombs', the spicy capsicum seems to work as an effective anti-elephant repellent.

Albert Stenzi, another farmer from Sikaunga, has seen his sorghum fields raided five times in one year.

"I am going to try and use chilli techniques if I am given the chance," he said.

"I will try anything at this point to stop the raid."

Through a WWF-supported project, several conservancies are now learning to cultivate several plots of chillies to be used for scaring off elephants that raid their crops.

"It's a simple and effective solution," said the WWF's African elephant expert, Dr PJ Stephenson.

"The success in reducing crop-raiding and increasing crop yields has made people more enthusiastic and supportive of conservation, and has demonstrated that people can live alongside wildlife while developing sustainable livelihoods.

And that in turn should help ensure a long future for the elephants."

Mark Schulman is Managing Editor at WWF International, based in Switzerland.

Copyright © 2006 The Namibian. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Hunting on foot and by boat

2006-07-17T19:57:00.000-05:00

The floodplains of Kasika are so flat that it was tough to get a good vantage point. In many places the grass was between waist high and over our heads. This is Joe, PH Vaughan, Conservancy Game Guard Edward, Tracker James, and boat owner Francois Haasbrock. To get a look around, the guys used this unfinished hut.

Termite mounds were another way to get a view.

Many areas were still flooded, so we just had to wade right through.

I can't say that Vaughan didn't warn us. I'm just not sure this is quite what I had imagined.
Some places were too deep to wade, so we went by mucoro.
It is a wonderful way to travel!

One afternoon, this was our resting spot.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Animals at Kasika

2006-07-17T19:53:00.000-05:00

Elephant.
Buffalo herd.
Bush buck.
Hippo. He wanted to come out of the water right where we camped.

Eagle, taken by Francois Haasbrock

I have no idea what this one is:

But this is definitely a kingfisher!

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Kasika Conservancy, Caprivi Strip

2006-07-17T19:20:00.000-05:00

The second part of our 2006 safari was a buffalo hunt in the Kasika Conservancy, in the Caprivi Strip of Namibia.

Most of the conservancy was still inaccessible by vehicle, so we came in by boat, camped on a houseboat and each morning we walked out to hunt, entirely on foot.

Francois Haasbrock took this stunning pic of the campsite:

Here's Francois, captain of his own ship. (the houseboat)

Africa Namibia hunting safari

First pics from 2006

2006-07-11T19:27:00.000-05:00

It was an adventure...

More to come...

Africa Namibia hunting safari

Polio precautions for travel to Namibia

2006-06-09T08:22:00.000-05:00

With Namibia battling its first outbreak of polio in ten years, hunters and other travelers are considering polio precautions.

Three cases have been positively identified as polio. A total of 34 cases are suspected, and seven people have died as of Thursday. The infected people come from three different regions across the country: Khomas, Hardap and Otjozondjupa. (New Era newspaper, Windhoek)

UPDATE June 14:

The polio outbreak that was first reported on May 10 has now spread to seven regions including the four most densely populated areas in the country. Forty-seven people have been infected with the disease while ten have died. (New Era, Windhoek)

What is Namibia doing to stop polio?

Namibia already has a childhood vaccination program, and monitors for polio. Currently, the vaccination rate is between 60% and 80%.
Namibia is launching a nationwide, door-to-door vaccination for all 1.8 million residents targeting this particular outbreak.
UNICEF is supporting the Namibian government with funding for the vaccinations.

(UN News Service, New York)

What is polio? What can I do to protect myself?
Mostly polio virus infects children under five, and most people who are infected actually don't show symptoms or feel sick. So don't panic. It is possible for polio to be spread through contaminated water or food, so sensible precautions like regular handwashing and sticking to bottled water are in order. If you are heading for Namibia soon, consider a polio vaccine:

adults can get a booster shot
if you were never vaccinated, you can get the three-shot series now as an adult

(US Centers for Disease Control)

Joe and I are getting ready for our next trip to Namibia very soon. We may be a bit more aware of polio than most folks. Both of our fathers contracted polio, and Joe's father walked on crutches all his life because of it. That's an awareness builder! Yesterday, we received a booster of polio vaccine, for free from the county health department. If the price is free, how could you not? One of the nurses (old enough to remember real outbreaks in the US) said, "If there is an outbreak, then there is no question. You get a booster."

Africa Namibia hunting safari polio

NEWS: Rabies hits kudu in Namibia

2006-05-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

allAfrica.com: Namibia: Rabies Hits Flagship Game Species:

Chrispin Inambao
Windhoek

Namibia's flagship trophy game species, the kudu, is under threat from rabies that have already devastated record numbers of the antelope and sources in the industry have voiced concern that the outbreak could impact negatively on the hunting season that is due.

Two veterinarians Dr Otto Zapke and Dr Beate Voights confirmed the outbreak, with Dr Zapke saying probably 'thousands' of kudu died in the Omaruru area where recently no cases of the contagious disease have been brought to his attention.

Dr Zapke said the Okahandja and Windhoek areas are showing more prevalence of rabies, while Dr Voights said there is a tendency among farmers not to report cases of the deadly viral disease that can affect all warm-blooded animals and has various known strains.

With over 5 000 trophy hunters, the hunting industry directly generates N$100 million for the country each year and N$200 million is generated indirectly as secondary revenue.

Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA) affiliated sources revealed the contagion was initially detected at a farm in the Wilhelmstal area before it spread north via farms at Omaruru, Otjiwarongo and then it spread eastwards and scattered southwards.

'It is a flagship species. People come to Namibia because of kudus,' said one source.

Cases of the communicable disease have been reported at Omitara, from where it spread towards Botswana. Some farms around Windhoek have also reported cases of strange behaviour in this antelope, such as frothing at the mouth and not being afraid of people.

There was one strange case in which this beast had to be shot inside a house and one farmer who requested anonymity cited several cases of rabid kudu. Though the meat from the affected animals can be consumed provided the necessary precautions are taken, one of the beasts shot near Windhoek was destroyed because of the severity of the infection.

One 12 000-hectare farm suffered game losses of 400 beasts over the past two years of the present outbreak, and other farmers are said to have incurred huge losses of the antelope that is preferred by high-spending trophy hunters who like its majestic, spiral horns.

Sources are saying the present outbreak whose magnitude compares to the contagion that affected the game industry over a seven-year wave in Namibia lasting from 1975 to 1982, is being caused by kudu populations that have increased over the past several years.

There is under-reportage of the outbreak because some farmers are afraid of the negative effects that bad publicity could generate in light of the closeness of the hunting season.

New Era was told kudus that have weakened immunity to rabies when compared to dogs and other animals get infected by eating affected vegetation, while the virus could also get into their bodies through lesions in their mouths caused by shrubs and thorns.

If the virus infects kudu with an incubation period varying from 21 to 365 days it tends to hang its head lower but the most important clinical characteristic of the preliminary phase is behavioural change during which the animal appears tame, salivates excessively, loses appetite, and urinates frequently. After this phase sick animals may either become aggressive or show signs of paralysis.

Kudu occurs throughout Namibia except in the Namib Desert.

When contacted, NAPHA's CEO Joern Wiedow referred all inquiries to Ben Beytell, the Director of Parks and Wildlife Management who was out of town and unavailable.

But Maria Kapere, the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism who yesterday consulted the Division of Scientific Services after New Era made inquiries on the matter responded: 'Nobody in my ministry knows about this.'

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2003: #7 Travel, camp and scouting

2006-05-09T21:07:00.000-05:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

More film print scans.

Arriving at Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek, Namibia

Sighting in

A couple of practice shots off the sticks

Morning coffee in camp

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2003: #6 More animals in Northwest Namibia

2006-05-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

These are scans of film pics, so please forgive the quality issues!

Zebra hide and seek
Zebra hide and seek times 3

Springbok

Kudu
Kudu departing

Gemsbok
More gemsbok

Africa Namibia hunting safari

NEWS: Conservancy in Caprivi Region Appoints First Female Manager

2006-04-27T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Namibian (Windhoek)

April 27, 2006

Linda Baker

COEDILIA Muyoba, only 21 years old, has a huge responsibility on her slender shoulders.

As Namibia's first female conservancy manager, she co-ordinates activities for Kwandu Conservancy in eastern Caprivi.

Situated on the eastern bank of the Kwando River, Kwandu has the highest recorded number of human-wildlife conflict incidents in the country.

Bordered by Zambia to the north, Bwabwata National Park to the west and the Trans-Caprivi Highway to the south, the conservancy is a virtual highway for thousands of elephants travelling between Namibia, Botswana, Angola and Zambia.

Much of Muyoba's work involves placating irate farmers who have suffered damage to crops by elephants and hippos or have lost livestock to marauding lions, leopards, hyenas or crocodiles.

But she firmly believes that proper, sustainable management of resources will lead to financial improvements for communities, which can then decide on how to use funds for community upliftment.

"Through education, farmers have come to realise the value of wild animals in terms of tourism and trophy hunting," she explains.

"But they also want to prevent further damage and need their fields and livestock protected."

Muyoba has a natural talent for approaching problems in a pragmatic manner and states that the correct approach is a large part of the solution.

Recently, she was sponsored by Conservation International to attend a workshop in Livingstone where participants were taught to make 'chilli bombs' from Tabasco chillies and animal dung.

The day after her return, a farmer arrived at the conservancy office to report elephant activities in his fields.

In the absence of community game guards who usually investigate such incidents, Muyoba demonstrated how to craft chilli bombs.

Thefarmer was later successful in deterring the pachyderms from his fields and was grateful for the prompt action from his conservancy manager.

WINNING RESPECT Appointed just four months ago, Muyoba's sympathetic approach and efficiency in dealing with problems has fast won respect and acceptance from community members and her conservancy committee.

Kwandu Field Ranger Kebby Likwando scored Muyoba's performance so far as 'a thousand per cent'.

He was particularly impressed with her ability to deal with staff problems, comparing her nurturing nature to that of a woman tending to her crop fields.

Muyoba's week starts with a regular Monday staff meeting at which the week ahead is planned, along with staff movements and responsibilities.

She regularly liaises with Government departments and local non-governmental organisations, is involved in joint venture negotiations with lodges and co-ordinates community activities including meetings.

Muyoba also co-ordinates a human-wildlife conflict working group for the Mudumu North Complex Forum - a partnership between four conservancies, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and NGOs - and chairs a trans-boundary community forum known as the Sesheke West Community Resource Board in Zambia and Kwandu Conservancy in Namibia.

She is a keen learner and spends her spare time reading and listening to radio news broadcasts.

In the past, she says, education for women was frowned upon, but slowly, the importance of schooling women has been accepted.

She believes that traditional authorities have come to realise the role of women in society and now encourage girls to go to school.

RURAL REVOLUTION Muyoba is part of a rural revolution sweeping Caprivi, in which women's contributions as resource users, managers and decision-makers are taken seriously.

Wildlife and natural resource management was previously seen as the domain of men.

But as the primary users of natural resources, women have become empowered to make decisions.

"Men now call for proper representation of women in meetings," says Janet Matota, field co-ordinator of Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation.

Matota, who was the first recipient of the prestigious Namibia Nature Foundation (NNF) environmental award in 2000, explains that between 35 and 40 per cent of conservancy committees in eastern Caprivi are represented by women.

And women are not merely there as window dressing.

"Our voices are being heard," remarks Matota.

"Our ideas are being listened to and our plans implemented."

IRDNC has been instrumental in encouraging women's participation in conservancy activities by organising a series of workshops that have helped women gain self-confidence.

Joyce Sitapata, an IRDNC field officer, runs assertiveness and public-speaking training courses.

"Women are now confident enough to stand up and have their say in public forums," says Sitapata.

"They organise meetings, share their ideas and make decisions about resources and management."

Meanwhile Muyoba is delighted to report that Kwandu Conservancy has also appointed the region's first female community game guard, Peris Mbambi, who performs all of the duties of her male counterparts.

"The time is ripe for women to come forward to show their commitment and co-operation to our conservancies so that common goals and objectives can be achieved through a common vision," she states.

Muyoba believes in the adage: "Educate a woman and you educate a nation".

Small wonder, then, that Muyoba, Matota and Sitapata are fast becoming role models in their own right to women throughout eastern Caprivi and Namibia.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

NEWS: Air Namibia changing planes

2006-04-25T13:23:00.000-05:00

Air Namibia Puts Hope in Airbus
New Era (Windhoek)
April 25, 2006
Edgar Hälbich

The first Airbus A340/300 started flying the Windhoek-London route in December 2005, while a second aircraft of the same type is expected to start serving the connection between Windhoek and Frankfurt as from September this year.
...
It was unlikely that Air Namibia would ever operate a plane larger than the A340. "The A380 has never been on our mind," Hijarunguru said. "Namibia simply doesn't have the passenger volumes to make it a profitable aircraft for us."
According to Jerome Martin, Airbus's marketing analyst for the A330, A340 and A350 families of aircraft, Namibia would never regret exchanging the Boeing 747/400 Combi for the A340/300. In terms of volume, space, safety and fuel consumption, the A340 was far ahead of its competitors.
Airbus Marketing Director Stuart Mann was bold enough in stating that he couldn't think of a single aspect where Airbus was lagging behind its main rival from Seattle.
"Boeing have not developed their aircraft in more than two decades, and they are paying for it now." Just recently, Airbus surpassed Boeing in terms of orders and sales.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2005: #9 Trackers and Game Guards in the Salambala Conservancy

2006-04-24T14:13:00.000-05:00

The Salambala Communal Conservancy employs local people as game guards. They accompany all hunters to ensure that hunting only occurs in approved areas, that only approved game is taken, and to generally protect the interests of the conservancy members.

Game Guards Martin, Charles and Martin Mashabati at the Salambala Campground, exchanging information and waiting to start out on the next hunting trip.

Game Guard Bongo rides along on hunting trip
The safari company also employs local people to help with tracking, skinning, transporting, and everything else.

Tracker Patrick and Game Guard Martin follow up a trail in the Salambala.

Trackers Michael and Patrick waiting to begin skinning a zebra after a photo session. Game Guard Martin is out of uniform because he is working on what should be his day off.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2005: #8 Villages in the Caprivi Strip

2006-04-23T11:42:00.000-05:00

Many houses have a reed-fenced enclosed yard.
Most people are resting in the shade, but one little girl is playing in the mukoro!
Women talk and pound grain in the shade of a reed fence. The goat doesn't seem to mind the sun.
Most villages here have electricity.

This family lives in a isolated hut near the Chobe River. We were asking them about the buffalo. When we arrived, they came out and lined up, very polite. It reminded me of how the pioneer families in the USA would come out when a visitor came by in a wagon. Early morning gathering of men outside a the isolated hut of a fisherman/cattleherder.
The Cool Joint bottle shop.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2005: #7 Farming in Namibia's Caprivi Strip

2006-04-22T14:57:00.000-05:00

Agriculture included cattle, fishing and crops. They are all tied together, with the same farmers engaging in all three trades.

Cattle are milked and are used in plowing, but they are not primary meat sources. A dead cow may be butchered, but a cow is almost never slaughtered for meat. They are instead seen as an indicator of wealth, although they are seldom sold.

Salambala Communal Conservancy Game Guard Martin Mashabati also raises cattle. Here, Martin was invited to drink from another herdsman's milk. Cattle sometimes stray across the shallow Chobe River into Botswana. The herdsman is off to shoo them home again.

Hmmm. I'm not sure what these boys were up to!
Fisherman travelling down the Chobe.
Plowing for crops near a village.
Modern steel plow blades were used, pulled by a team of cattle. (Not really oxen.)
Women working along the river.
Most villages also included a few chickens.

Africa Namibia Caprivi Strip agriculture farming

NEWS: Namibia: Trophy Hunting Leaps Ahead

2006-04-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

allAfrica.com

New Era (Windhoek): April 19, 2006

Surihe Gaomas
Windhoek

Trophy hunting in Namibia is fast gaining momentum in communal conservancies as this lucrative market opens its gilt-edged doors to international hunters from as far as the United States, Europe and Russia.

As a result of this development, previously disadvantaged communities are reaping as much as N$4,5 million per year from this industry.

It further turns out that Namibia is the only country in Southern African that is involved in the training of locals on communal conservancies in operating trophy hunting for income generation.

This involves transforming former trackers to fully qualified hunting guides. Viewing this a potential of growth not only for the tourism industry in general, but for the country's economy, president of the Namibian Professional Hunters Association (NAPHA) Dannie Strauss informed New Era that trophy hunting has the potential to become a big money-spinner for Namibia.

"When a hunter comes to Namibia, he or she will spend 10 times more than an ordinary tourist," said Strauss, adding that growth has been consistent over the past 12 years.

With improved marketing strategies especially in the Unites States, the hunting association's goal has been to lure hunters from that part of the world in an effort to market Namibia globally.

For the past five years, NAPHA has been attending numerous hunting shows in the US to sensitise international hunters about the conducive hunting environment in Namibia's communal conservancies.

"It provides an unbelievable platform and the use of state-owned land can even create a bigger market for the country and previously disadvantaged communities."

The main clients come from Germany and Austria, but due to the growing awareness campaigns by the association, US, Russian, Hungarian, Czechoslovakian, Polish, French, Spanish and Italian hunters have also joined the trophy hunting fold.

In addition, with a general recovery of wildlife in the 44 conservancies countrywide, the latest statistics from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism indicate that an amount of N$27 million has been generated so far.

According to the ministry's Statistical Report of 2004, most of this income has been used for community projects such as water holes and facilities for children and pensioners.

The N$27 million comes from all genres of tourism, namely campsites, lodge partnerships, crafts as well as trophy hunting.

Based on the report, trophy hunting has even profited community-based tourism ventures from N$54 376 in 1999, N$734 375 in 2001 and rose to almost N$45 million in 2004.

In a drive to boost more local participation in this kind of tourism, NAPHA recently held a workshop on professional, effective and sustainable hunting that is to the benefit of communities and the environment at the same time.

Strauss added that that during the AGM held in February this year members were also informed about successful hunting ethics.

"We now have 91 fully qualified hunting guides from previously disadvantaged communities and our membership consists predominantly of this sector of society," he explained, adding that incentives are in place to train more Namibians in this growing field of tourism.

"Traditionally trophy hunting is primarily in the north, but this venture is even opening up in the southern part of the country now," he added.

For American hunters peak times are between April and June. In light of this NAPHA has been busy devising new marketing strategies to tap into this lucrative market.

The only challenge facing the association is the need to see hunting concessions being opened up in national parks again due to its economic advantages. According to Strauss, such a move is expected to take place next year.

Africa Namibia hunting safari

2005: #6 Visit to the Basubiya Chief at Bukalo, Caprivi Strip, Namibia

2006-04-18T01:17:00.001-05:00

On our 2005 trip, we were honored to make a visit to the Basubiya Kuta, or court, in Bukalo. We were invited to meet with Chief Kisco Liswani III.

In the Masubiya language, the Chief is called the Simwine, the second in command is the Ngambela, and the title for a regional leader is Nduna.

I asked permission to take my camera for a picture of the Simwine, and I did receive permission for that. The rest of these photos were taken while trying not to draw any attention to my photography! So please forgive the unlevel shots. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I didn't want to miss it!

The Ngambela, I believe his name is Chrispin Katukula, heading to the meeting room.
The men waiting outside.

Court Clerk Christina (Matumwe, I think) led me around the back way. (All women enter from the back door.) She left me in the garage, and headed to the meeting room.

Here's the advantage of waiting inside; I saw the Chief enter. (He's just in the door frame here.)

The men finally enter. Hats off, for courtesy. Left to right, Joe, Vaughan, Patrick, Martin, and other officials.
Liswani listens.

The Ngambela is on the left, and some of the Ndunas are on the right.

The Ngambela.

Some of the Ndunas. There were more Ndunas and other officials all around the room, but out of my limited camera range.
One Nduna eyes me.

Basubiya tribal symbols.
Here, finally, are the two pictures I had permission to take.

Simwine Kisco Liswani III

Africa Namibia hunting safari

NEWS: South African Airways Joins Star Alliance

2006-04-11T16:39:00.000-05:00

South African Airways has joined the Star Alliance, a group of 18 international airlines. US carriers include United and US Airways. Lufthansa of Germany is also a member, according to a story in The Namibian.

Safari travellers frequently use SAA for many hunting destinations in Southern Africa, including Namibia. US hunters commonly consider partnerships such as this because of their effect on frequent flyer miles, availability of lounges, and other amenities.

South Africa Namibia hunting safari South African Airways

2005: #5 City Scenes from Katima Mulilo, Namibia

2006-04-04T21:22:00.000-05:00

Our first view of Katima Mulilo: the airport at Mpacha military base.
Street scene

Tourists with South Africa plates

No loitering on the fence rail!

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari] [Becky McCray]

2005: #4 Birds of Namibia's Caprivi Strip

2006-04-04T21:13:00.000-05:00

PelicansEagle

Hornbill
Francolin

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari] [Becky McCray]

NEWS: Conservancies Pay Local Dividends

2006-04-04T14:22:00.000-05:00

Namibia: National Wildlife Conservancy Pays Local Dividends

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

April 4, 2006

Watching a small heard of elephants cross the narrow dirt road and disappear among the high trees into the Namibian bush was as much a joy for John Haingura as the four tourists he was escorting to their camp site near his village.

"We used to be angry with the elephants when they destroyed our crops, but now we show them to tourists," said Haingura. His family benefits from a community-based conservation programme introduced by the government a decade ago in remote game-rich areas in northwestern Namibia.

The initiative encourages communities to protect their local wildlife by allowing them to share in the financial benefits of tourism. It has been so successful that community-based sanctuaries now cover 13 percent of Namibian territory, and the country's 44th conservancy was opened in February near the Okavango River in northeastern Namibia.

"Conservancies decide how to spend income from wildlife and tourism," said Leon Jooste, Namibia's deputy minister of environment and tourism. "They can pay dividends to individual households or use income for community development projects like water wells, better roads or better housing."

Before the conservancies, local communities often viewed wildlife as competitors because they trampled crops and killed livestock, but still received protection from the authorities.

"Government realised that this was discriminatory, and amended legislation in 1996 to allow the rural population to receive benefits from wildlife and other natural resources through the establishment of conservancies," explained Jooste.

Over 100,000 rural people are benefiting from the conservancies, according to Chris Brown, nature conservation consultant at the Namibia Nature Foundation. The initiative is supported by the US Agency for International Development and the World Wildlife Fund.

"The application and registration process at the ministry of environment requires criteria like community involvement, training of community game guards, management skills, and management plans must be drawn up to obtain approval by the authorities," said Brown.

Training is provided by various agencies, including the Namibia Community Based Tourism Association and the Namibian Association of Community-Based Natural Resource Management Support Agencies (NACSO).

Conservancies generated US $2.4 million for rural communities in 2004, a healthy growth from just US $190,000 in 1998. Half the amount was direct cash income, and "the remainder came in the form of employment wages and other in-kind benefits, such as meat from trophy hunting," said a NACSO overview.

Torra Conservancy in Damaraland, in northwestern Namibia, generates enough income to cover all its expenses and make a profit for its 450 members. "We still farm with our goats, but certain areas are for the wildlife only. We have created separate water points for the wild animals, thanks to the income from tourism," said Andreas Taniseb, a member of the community committee.

In a recent radio interview with the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation, Taniseb commented, "I can afford the school fees, books and school uniforms for my four children, and the oldest we can send to a secondary school in Windhoek [the capital] next year."

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari]

About Namibia's Communal Conservancies

2006-03-20T15:20:00.000-06:00

Since I've referred to what I see as the advantages to communal conservancies, I thought I would tell a bit more about them. Vaughan and I worked on this explanation for his website:

About Namibia's Communal Conservancies
In Namibia, Communal Conservancies make it possible for traditional people living in rural areas to benefit from the natural resources. This is only right as these people are directly responsible for the conservation of the game and the overall improvement of conditions within the area.

The community receives compensation for their hunting concession contract. This includes payment for each animal taken, distribution of at least 90% of the meat to the various villages, employment of local members, training of these members, and concession or donation fees for re-investment within the area. Strict quotas are set by the Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism to ensure that all hunting is sustainable. The money received is used for community development projects and or distributed to the people.

This is different from the government concessions, where the contract is made with the Namibian national government for hunting rights. It is also different from the other form of conservancy in Namibia, where private land owners create a conservancy by joining their properties yet maintain ownership of their original land as demarcated ranch land.

Classic Safaris currently works with four communal conservancies, namely Ehi Rovipuka and Omatendeka both in the North West, and Salambala and Kasika both in the Caprivi.

The spoken language in Ehi-rovipuka and Omatendeka is Herero with Ovahimba heritage and also traditional Ovahimba people still living in these areas.

In Salambala and Kasika the spoken language is Masubiya. This culture spreads mainly just east of Lake Liambezi eastwards to the tip of the Caprivi Strip and overlaps slightly into Zambia in the North and Botswana in the South.

We are committed to hunting in these areas because the people living in these communities benefit directly from the natural resources that they have committed themselves to conserving. The game population is increasing steadily due to the conservation and re-investment, and it is also fantastic to offer hunters the opportunity to hunt wilderness and open areas where there is a win win situation for all.

Joe and I have visited two of these conservancies: Ehi Rovipuka and Salambala. Our next trip is set to include Ehi Rovipuka for plains game (KUDU!), then Salambala and Kasika for Buffalo. Knowing Vaughan, we may see Omatendeka while we're there!

To me, talking with the people we met was one of the neatest things about our trips. Mostly, we had time to talk with people who worked with Classic Safaris, but we also met some other community members. The communication gaps were not that hard to bridge. I tried to listen, learn a few words and customs, and approach people with friendly respect. Then I found that the people who did speak English were more than happy to help me bridge the gaps.

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari] [communal] [conservancy]

Women of Africa

2006-03-08T19:17:00.000-06:00

I often get asked about the status of women in Africa. Are they treated as inferiors by men? Do they have rights?

The country we visit, Namibia, has equal rights for men and women guaranteed in their Constitution. (Wish we had that!) Women are able to own property, be employed, hold elected office, etc., the same as men. Now that does not mean that all things are equal. Take this story from The Namibian on International Women's Day:

TODAY is International Women's Day and Namibian women will mark the day with a mixed sense of achievement and concern.

While strides have been made to include women in decision-making, violence against women and children remains a serious problem, notes the United Nations Population Fund in Namibia (UNFPA).

UNFPA Representative in Namibia Nuzhat Ehsan said yesterday that while it was commendable that Namibia had placed women in key positions within Cabinet, most Namibian women were still not in a position to decide freely on key issues that affect their lives because they lacked both the opportunity and the resources to do so.

"A sad manifestation of this is gender-based violence," said Ehsan.

Today March 8 is International Women's Day: Inspiring Potential.

IWD inspires women to achieve their full potential. Celebrated globally from Alaska to Zambia, IWD highlights women's progress worldwide.

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari] [Becky McCray] [blog against sexism]

NEWS: Multi-Pronged Disaster Hits Caprivi Villagers

2006-03-03T13:01:00.000-06:00

allAfrica.com: Namibia: Multi-Pronged Disaster Hits Caprivi Villagers:

Thousands of flood-affected villagers in the Caprivi Region have to endure the seasonal headache of malaria-bearing mosquito - breeding in pools of rainwater - while simultaneously having to tackle problems caused by herds of roving wild animals.
...
The Regional Councillor for Linyanti Constituency, Dorothy Kabula says people are starting to starve because of the combined effects of the floods and the crop being damaged by the wild animals. She says only villagers living in and around gazetted conservancies receive some compensation for their troubles, while those resident in areas not located in such conservancies are excluded by the compensation scheme.

This is happening in one of the areas we have visited. Our experience led us to be big supporters of the Communal Conservancies, as a tool for "social upliftment." Here's another great example of their benefit.

Technorati tags: Namibia, Africa, safari, conservancy, conservation, wildlife

Gemsbok Trophy from 2003

2006-03-03T10:36:00.000-06:00

Remember this gemsbok?
Here's what he looks like now:

We also have the raw parts of the other trophies. So we have an unmounted zebra skin, unmounted eland skull and cape, and the backskin for Mr. Gemsbok. We smell like a tannery!

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari]

NEWS: Namibia a Hunter's Paradise?

2006-03-01T20:08:00.000-06:00

By Fifi Rhodes, New Era (Windhoek)

Namibia's status as an international trophy-hunting destination is no longer just a dream.

The country has grown into one of the leading hunting destinations in Africa and one of the best in the world.

Read the rest of the report from the annual general meeting of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association in Windhoek last week at allAfrica.com.

[Africa] [Namibia] [hunting] [safari]

KASIKA!

2006-02-28T15:53:00.000-06:00

Just got word today that Classic Safaris has been awarded the tender for hunting on the Kasika Communal Conservancy! Very exciting!

Kasika (Caprivi Strip, Namibia) has a resident buffalo population, so this means we are definitely going buffalo hunting this year. Time for Joe to get back to work on the 416. He hasn't sighted it back in since he restocked it!

Vaughan says the Kasika hunting may include a trip across open water or through the mud. I think he described it as an interesting feature. hmmmm....

2005: #3 Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

2006-02-02T12:03:00.000-06:00

McCray's 2005 African Safari
Salambala Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

Gert van der Walt and Vaughan Fulton
the professional hunters

Our semi-annual portrait
It's why we go to Africa...to get our picture taken!

Camp
Wish that shade did more to cool the tent!

Maribou storks.
They're scavengers, waiting for something to die.

Burchell Zebra

Mist over the Chobe at sunrise.
Gert says he likes this photo because reminds him of Africa as it was 50 years ago. Vaughan says I'm too susceptible to flattery.

Fishing the Chobe
It's cooler down by the River!

Gert caught a squeeker!
He probably would prefer that I delete this pic!

Mike Robinson and Joe at campfire.
Mike and his wife Lynn shared camp with us for 5 days.

Sunset on the hunting truck

Sunset over the pan

2005: #2 Salambala Conservancy Hunting Safari

2006-02-02T11:53:00.000-06:00

McCray's 2005 African Safari
Salambala Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

Thorns and clouds

Guinea fowl feather in mopane leaves.
This is what I do while the guys hunt...I take pictures.

Impala

Sumwine Kisko Leswani III
Chief of the Basubia Tribe
We were received in court, like honored guests.

Basubia Fisherman in his mucoro on the Chobe River

Warthog

Hippo
The hippos were so close we would sit at the campfire area to watch them feed in the afternoons.

Sunset with grass

2005: #1 Hunting in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia

2006-02-02T11:37:00.000-06:00

McCray's 2005 African Safari
Salambala Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

Joe with Gert
checking the target

Vaughan and Joe
laughing about recalcitrant scope adjustments

Bathing elephants
Elephants are everywhere at Salambala!

Zebra

Thatching
This is an enclosure used during ceremonial feasts by the Traditional Authority of the Basubia Tribe.

Waterbuck
There are Impala in background, cooling off in the shade.

Dust devil
Just like home!

Zebra/cow
Well, they are all black and white.

2003: #5. Becky's View

2006-01-31T17:01:00.000-06:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

We left Oklahoma on Tuesday, Sept. 23, and got back on Tuesday Oct. 7, so we were gone just two weeks. Joe hunted, and I took about 500 photos!

The area we visited is on traditional tribal lands, and is leased by a professional hunter, Vaughan Fulton. I especially liked the fact that the Herera tribe is paid for the hunting rights, for each animal taken and receives all the meat from each animal.

The area is much like western New Mexico or Arizona, very dry and beautiful in its own harsh way.

The hunting conservancy borders the Etosha National Park, which you sometimes hear about on Discovery Channel, etc. The conservancy covers 440,000 acres, and the animals are all running wild all over it! Somehow, there really is a difference in seeing an elephant that is really wild.

Vaughan has a staff of 11 Herera people in the hunting camp. The cook, Sarah, is restaurant-trained, and very good! There were also trackers, skinners, housekeepers, and a couple of people that I don't know what they did! Most of the staff speak at least some English, and I learned a few words in their language. That seemed to really amuse them. Maybe they were just laughing at my accent.

For the hunting, I rode along in the truck as Joe, Vaughan and the three trackers scouted for game, and stayed behind only when they were actually stalking up on something. It gave me plenty of time for photography.

As a break from the everyday, the trip was a total success! While I was in camp, I didn't know what day it was, and I seldom knew what time it was; I didn't even take a watch! I was 50 kilometers from the nearest phone, and never turned my PDA on once in camp! To quote Vaughan, it was "wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"

2003: #4. People

2006-01-31T16:55:00.000-06:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

Vaughan and Joe plotting something.

The camp staff. They're smiling because we're leaving.

"Oku hepa!"

The trackers.

Seskarsa, Elia, and Andreas

They did the dirty work and occasionally dodged elephants.

Vaughan kept the atmosphere in camp light. Things tended to be a bit more serious while stalking game.

2003: #3. Classic Safaris Camp in Northwest Namibia

2006-01-31T16:50:00.000-06:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

By Joe McCray

Camp. The tents are pitched on concrete and flagstone slabs. The "yard" is swept daily.

The dining tent is to the right.

Home. The toilet and shower are visible in the west wing.

Evening campfire is a safari tradition.

2003: #2. African Animals

2006-01-31T16:44:00.000-06:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

By Joe McCray

35 inch Eland.

The 416 Remington Magnum and 350 grain Barnes Xs worked fine.

The recently deceased and two of the pall bearers.

He was 39+" on the longer horn with 9 1/2" bases.

First gemsbock spotted and first game shot.

Mountain Zebra.

The 8mm Remington Magnum and 220 grain Barnes Xs worked fine also. It took about six failed stalks to get to this point. For an animal that was included only because I felt like if you go to Africa, you should take a zebra, this became one of the more important trophies.

Elephant and gemsbok. Most of the elephants we saw were males, but this is a breeding herd with calves.

Giraffe, he's seen all of us he wants to.

The first morning we saw a leopard stalking its way across a river bed. It was so intent on its prey, it never paid us any attention. This is one of many tracks we saw, after we knew what to look for.

2003: #1. Hunting Namibia with Classic Safaris and Vaughan Fulton

2006-01-31T16:38:00.000-06:00

McCray's First African Safari 2003
Ehi Rovipuka Conservancy, Namibia
Classic Safaris with Vaughan Fulton

By Joe McCray

I had wanted to go to Africa since I read Robert Ruark's "Use Enough Gun" when I was about ten. In it, Ruark and Harry Selby were crawling around amid Cape Buffalo and having a ball. I promised myself that I would get to hunt Africa. It took a few decades and the realization that for a first safari, buffalo might not be the best choice. A plains game hunt in Namibia, on one of the large conservancies, seemed like a good start. We went with Vaughan Fulton's Classic Safaris.

The end is a strange place to start, but this photo was shot on the last evening we were to be in camp. Despite the smiles, nobody was eager to leave.

Early spring in Northwestern Namibia.