The Okavango Delta - Issue #00017 - December 18, 2010

The Okavango Delta December 18, 2010 - Issue #00017   The Okavango Delta is in the country of Botswana and is the largest inland delta in the world covering an area roughly the size of Puerto Rico or 3 times the size of Prince Edward Island . The Okavango Delta is essentially a depression in the northern part of Botswana, adjacent to the Kalahari Desert, that gradually fills up with floodwaters. As the waters arrive, huge numbers of  African wildlife from all directions also arrive into the Delta, in numbers likely exceeding the numbers of animals on the Serengeti migration, although this movement of wildlife  into the Delta is more fragmented than on the Serengeti. The runoff creates a pristine wetland area dotted with islands and laced with a network of slow moving channels of water creating an oasis for a multitude of animals, fauna, and the visitors who want to drink in the experience. The Okavango is home to all manner of African mammals and reptile, over 400 species of birds and over 1000 species of plants. The Okavango Delta  is truly the best oasis in Africa. The Okavango Delta is divided up into approximately 20 private and public concessions.  Private concessions have the advantage of offering more off road opportunities, night drives, walking safaris, and provide much more privacy than in the public reserves.  Each concession has its own variation on the environment and some concessions are rated better environments than others. From the towns of Kasane or Maun in Botswana, it is necessary to fly small planes into and within  the Delta to reach the various camps.  There are over 40 camps within the Delta catering mainly to a few mid-range but mostly a luxury clientele with nothing for the budget traveler.   The average guest density in the Delta is 1 guest for every 42 square kilometers, 50 times less than the Masaai Mara Park in Kenya.  Professional English speaking guides lead all the tours out of each of the fully staffed camps. The  permanent tented camps come with all the amenities and are located either on dry areas, wet areas, or mixed areas comprised of a dry and a wet area.  Dry areas are explored by open sided 4WD vehicles offering great sightlines of big and small game plus hundreds of bird species.  Dry areas also offer walking safaris.  Wet areas are explored by motor boat in the deeper water, flat bottoms or mokoro ( local dug outs) in the shallows, and short walking tours on the islands. Guests typically stay 2-3 nights at a camp, and many guests manage to overnight at one to three different camps on a single tour in order to experience the various environments. Choosing the right blend of camps definitely makes for a better tour. Another consideration in camp selection are the extra curricular activities offered. One of the upscale camps has undertaken a black and white rhino reintroduction program, another camp provides horse rides amongst the wildlife,  another camp offers elephant back safaris; and other camps are renown for the number of lion kills of water buffalo, or for more sightings of  the endangered wild dogs. 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? - #00016

The Nile crocodile has a virtually indiscriminate diet. Estimates are that up to 200 people, often washing clothes by a riverbank, may die each year in the jaws of a Nile crocodile

Vicious Crocodile Attack - Issue #00016 - December 11, 2010

Elephant mum shakes a vicious crocodile off her trunk! December 11, 2010 - Issue #00016 Article by Daily Mail Reporter - Last updated at 4:14 PM on 18th November 2010 These dramatic pictures show a clash of the titans as a protective elephant mum and a ferocious crocodile get in an epic tug of war in Zambia. The female elephant and her baby were drinking from the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park when they were attacked.  Leaping out of the murky waters a vicious crocodile bit down on the female's trunk. ATTACK: The crocodile sprung from the water as a baby elephant and its mum were having a drink from the river The baby elephant went to hide behind mum as the croc attacked The elephant was brought to her knees as the crocodile thrashed around. Brought down on her hind legs, the elephant didn't give up and turned away from the water, despite the predator clamped down on her trunk. Using incredible strength the female managed to shake off the croc after walking away from the water.    The elephant managed to turn away from the water even the croc was trying to pull her in With her baby safely on the far side, the mum stepped away from the water with the croc still clamped on The mighty elephant dragged the crocodile all the way out of the water as she walked away They were seen feeding from the river later in the day. South Luangwa National Park is well-known for its mighty elephant herds of up to 70 individuals. Measuring 9000 square kilometers, the park has 60 animal species including baboons, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, leopards, lions and hippopotamus.   Despite the unwanted appendage, she and her baby broke into a run. Water gushes from the mum's trunk as she finally shakes the croc, with her baby momentarily tripping over the predator before the pair made off safely. She survived the attack along with her baby, despite a second scare when the baby tripped as the pair ran away.   View full Lion Dog African Safaris 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? - #00012

When army ants are cut off from the rest of the colony they commence ‘circular milling’ until all the ants are dead.

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00009

No two African wild dogs are marked exactly the same, making it easy to identify different individuals.

Interesting African Facts - DID YOU KNOW? - #00015

The majority of chimpanzees are right handed like humans.

Mahale Mountains National Park - Issue #00015 - December 4, 2010

Mahale Mountains National Park December 4, 2010 - Issue #00015 On the extreme west side of Tanzania, south of the town of Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika, is Mahale Mountains National Park, a very remote park visited by only by a few hundred people a year who stay at mid-range or luxury permanent tented camps. Mahale offers a number of outstanding attractions for visitors such as mountain climbing, snorkeling, fishing, kayaking and relaxing on deserted, pristine, white, sandy beaches. However the main reason to visit Mahale is to track and observe chimpanzees. There are some 21 locations of chimpanzee remaining in Africa and Mahale is considered by some to be the best place in the world for chimpanzee safaris. This park is home to around 1,000 chimpanzees whom do not seem to mind being watched like their cousins at Gombe Stream National Park which is located just north of Kigoma. Chimpanzees are the part of the ape family and share a special genetic relationship with human beings, over 99%; making them the closest relative of modern man. Chimpanzees are also more closely related to man than to the gorilla. The chimpanzee has a thickset body, no tail, and much of the body is covered with long black hair, but the face, ears, fingers and toes are bare. Chimpanzees walk and climb using all four limbs and they have longer arms than legs. Like humans, chimps have opposable thumbs and opposable big toes which allow them to grip things with their feet. A full-grown chimpanzee has five or six times the strength of a human being. Adult males weigh between 40 and 55 kg ( 90 and 115 pounds) and they are about 1.2 m tall (4 feet) when standing upright. Females are slightly smaller. Chimpanzees in the wild live normally live to their forties. Noisy and curious, intelligent and social, each with its own distinctive personality, the chimpanzee has been observed using inanimate objects as tools. Chimpanzees communicate much like humans do by using facial expressions, vocalizations, body language, grooming, tickling, kisses and pats; and chimpanzees laugh when they play. The chimpanzee eats about 200 kinds of fruit; termites, ants, honey, bird's eggs, and will kill and eat birds and small mammals. Every night chimpanzees construct nests of vegetation, nine to twelve meters (30-40 feet) high in a tree, in which to sleep. The best time to visit the Park is during the dry season (mid-May to mid-October) when the chimpanzees are likely to be seen in big groups, the sunshine illuminates the fish in the Lake, and the beach is an inviting place to relax. 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