Youth Conservation Program

Do you know anyone between the ages of 17-25 years old with an interest in wildlife?  Young adults with a passion for conservation will be excited to learn of Imvelo Safari Lodges’ special conservation course. In its second season, this short course focuses on community-based tourism and conservation.  There will be two 8-day courses in…

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zimbabwe safari

The Great Elephant Safari

In 1930, as many as 10 million wild elephants roamed the African continent. But decades of poaching and conflict have decimated the African elephant population, leaving less than 415,000. But not all the news is bad.  Botswana & Zimbabwe are home to nearly 200,000 elephants, the largest population in Africa.  Join GrassTrack Safaris and Imvelo…

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tanzania plastic bag ban

Tanzania Plastic Bag Ban

The Tanzanian government has announced a ban on all single-use plastic bags starting on June 21 2019, according to a press release from the Vice President’s office.  The statement read in part: “The Government of Tanzania wishes to make an official note to travelers planning to travel to Tanzania that from 1st June 2019 all…

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lion

The Lionscape Coalition

Lions are facing serious threats across Africa.  The continent’s lion population has been cut by 50 percent in the past 25 years, and the species is now officially classified by the IUCN as “Vulnerable”.  Factors contributing to this decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal wildlife trade, bushmeat poaching and human-lion conflict. However, a turnaround…

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Living With Wild Elephants

Living in the proximity of wild elephants can be challenging and dangerous.  These iconic animals we travel so far to be see can ruin a farmer’s livelihood in one night or worse, can kill local people.  I came across this story about local villagers in the Okavango Delta region of Botswana and how they feel…

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hydroelectric dam threatens tanzania's largest game reserve

Hydroelectric Dam Threatens Tanzania’s Largest Game Reserve

A proposed hydroelectric dam threatens Tanzania’s largest game reserve, the Selous.  The Tanzanian government plans to begin the massive dam inside the UNESCO protected wildlife reserve in July 2018.  In preparation for construction more than 2.6 million trees will be removed from the dam and reservoir site.  The dam will be built on the Great…

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uganda gorilla trek

Mountain Gorilla Population is Rising

Good news for the mountain gorillas!  A recently published survey of the mountain gorilla population in the Virunga Massif has found the numbers of these endangered gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) is on the rise.  The study was conducted in the Mikeno Sector of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Volcanoes National Park in…

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uganda elephant

Deo’s Elephant Trench

Uganda Elephant Conservation – Living on the border of an African national park can be a dangerous and frustrating experience.  Predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas often leave the protection of the park and can kill cattle, livestock, and even people.  Elephants, baboons, and bush pigs search the surrounding farms for easily available crops and…

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