Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00022

It has been estimated that Africa would be ahead an estimated US $100 billion as of 1999 if malaria had been eliminated years ago.

Volunteering in Africa & Donations for Africa - Issue #00022 - January 22, 2011

African Jewels Safari Newsletter   January 22, 2011             Issue #00022   Volunteering in Africa & Donations for Africa It is very possible to incorporate a volunteer component in a tour of Africa. Usually there is a minimum commitment of 2 weeks required. The need for volunteers is great and the sense of satisfaction from volunteering is immense. Most given instruction is in English and there are opportunities to pass along basic skills in English, computer, creative arts, office training, sewing, carpentry, hospitality, math, health education, sports, cooking , reading comprehension, etc.   There are also opportunities to work in a day care so that the mothers can work or attend classes, or to help out with building or renovation projects. There is usually a special visa required to volunteer and there is often a cost required to pay for your own accommodation and food but the process is relatively inexpensive, simple and safe. There is also a great need for new and used items such as children’s clothing and shoes, reading comprehension and story books, bedding, school supplies, educational games & toys, mosquito nets, backpacks, sewing machines, computers, calculators, hand tools, etc. Let us know if you would be interested in our arranging donations and/or a volunteering stint for you, as part of the overall African touring experience. African Jewels Safari Newsletter LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS www.liondogafricansafaris.com   Toll Free Phone: 1-888-50AFRICA Phone: 403-613-3043 Newsletter Archives: Link to newsletter archives

The Maasai - Issue #00021 - January 15, 2011

African Jewels Safari Newsletter January 15, 2011             Issue #00021   The Maasai The Maasai are a semi-nomadic people located near the many game parks of East Africa who will be encountered while on game safari. The Maasai are very distinguishable by their attire and adherence to their established customs. The Maasai population has been estimated as approaching 900,000. Traditional Maasai lifestyle centers around their cattle which constituted their primary source of food. The measure of a man's wealth is in terms of cattle and children. A herd of 50 cattle is respectable, and the more children the better. A man who has plenty of one but not the other is considered to be poor. Villages are enclosed in a circular fence usually of thorned acacia. At night all cows, goats and sheep are placed in an enclosure in the centre, safe from predators. The traditional Maasai house are either star-shaped or circular constructed of a structural wooden mesh plastered with a mix of mud, sticks, grass, cow dung and human urine, and ash. Both sexes of the Maasai are traditionally polygamous and circumcision is widely practiced for both sexes. The piercing and stretching of earlobes is common among the Maasai. Traditionally, the Maasai diet consisted of meat, milk, and blood from cattle however in more recent times, the Maasai have a more mixed diet as they have been forced to settle into ever decreasing areas of land and adapt to a more sedentary lifestyle which in some cases includes growing or buying cultivated food. Over the years, many projects have begun to help Maasai tribal leaders find ways to preserve their traditions while also balancing the education needs of their children for the modern world. The Maasai are a fascinating people to meet and to learn more about. African Jewels Safari Newsletter LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS www.liondogafricansafaris.com     Toll Free Phone: 1-888-50AFRICA Phone: 403-613-3043 Newsletter Archives: Link to newsletter archives

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00021

The dead of the Maasai common folk are simply left out for scavengers since burial is believed to be harmful to the soil.

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00011

All clients of LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS who have trekked up Mt Kilimanjaro thus far, have all successfully summated the highest peak of Uhuru; far surpassing a typical failure rate of about 20-30 % across the board.

African Army Ant and Driver Ants - Issue #00012 - November 12, 2010

Africa Army Ant and Driver Ants November 13, 2010 - Issue #00012   When visiting Africa, the main focus of our attention is often the bigger animals however we should also be very mindful of the insects below us; particularly army ants or driver ants, as they are more commonly known in Africa. Army ants can march 20 meters (65 feet) in an hour in columns up to 20 meters (65 feet) wide swarming and devouring almost everything in their path. Army ants can kill and eat up to 100,000 animals in a day, mostly other insects including other ants. However army ants can also kill larger animals such as lizards, snakes, cooped chickens, and other small mammals.  African driver ants have even devoured tethered cows. A few unlucky humans have died the same way, but these cases are rare, usually involving unconscious or inebriated individuals. Observers have witnessed herds of panicked elephants flee from columns of driver ants. Several species of birds actually accompany army ants catching and eating any insects that are flushed out by the ants.   In areas where army ants are prevalent, tuck your long pants inside your socks if you are wearing them. If you see a column of army ants, get out of the way. African tribes have found out that, if you soak the leading columns with kerosene/petrol and set fire to them, it diverts the ants away. View full newsletter Click Here Do you want to receive a weekly full edition of our newsletter: Click Here      LION DOG AFRICAN SAFARIS 1-888-50AFRICA 1-888-502-3742 8AM-8PM EST Lion Dog African Safaris provides quality Private-Custom Tours, either Escorted or Independent, at very competitive pricing. Visit our website for details on planning your dream African Safari www.liondogafricansafaris.com Call us for a free Africa Safari consultation: 1-888-50AFRICA

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00020

Did you know that the tongue of a giraffe can be as long as 45 cm (17.7 inches) ?