"There are an estimated 35,000 elephants being killed in Africa each year. That's 10% of the population every year. There are now just an estimated 20,000 lions left in Africa. That's a 75% drop in the last 20 years. At the current rate, there will be no elephants or lions left in the African wilds within 15 years."
You either get the point of Africa or you don't. If you can't get past the fear of animals, of poverty, the juggernaut of nature, then you probably won't. But if you do stand in it and smell it and listen to it, then it will be one of the biggest, most profound and powerful things you will ever feel.
Although I left my heart in Africa last year a part of it now resides in Thailand, a country I've never been to, as I follow the day-to-day progression of events at two internationally respected wildlife sanctuaries. The Elephant Nature Park (ENP), and Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), have been repeatedly raided by armed government officials from the Department of National Parks (DNP) in what appears to be retaliatory actions for statements made by ENP and WFFT decrying the illegal wildlife trade in Thailand, and the Thai government's suspected complicity.
It's official: we're returning to Africa!
A list of some, but by no means all, of the many animals we were lucky enough to witness while in Africa, and even luckier to recall.
We're in the van with Nathan, who has just picked us up at the bus stop in Gweru, where we've just arrived from Harare. As we're making the short drive to Antelope Park, he tells us there are two phrases we will hear a lot that we need to know. He first asks if we know what “TIA” means.
Dear Virginia, Please forgive my poor attempt at writing to you in Shona. I'm sure I've horribly mangled your wonderful language in doing so, and can only hope it's not too embarrassing to read.
It never ceases to amaze me how glorious the mornings are here at Antelope Park. Today, we wake up to see the horses enjoying the river across from our tent. I see Silver Dime and give him a silent "thank you" for the lovely day we spent together yesterday. We take this picturesque scene as a good omen for the day ahead, which we're really excited about, because after two days without spending any time with the lions, our morning today begins with a walk with Paza and Penya. Famba ne shumba, "walk with lions."
Lion Country Series 2
Lion Country Series 1
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