Sad News from Niassa

A few weeks ago there were over 20 Elephants poached in the reserve in one instance. I have heard the number at 21 and 23 but 1 is too much. Poaching is a problem all over Africa and has in the past few years been on the rise. Many reasons can be attributed to this rise in our area but it boils down to price and demand. China is in my opinion, and let me be perfectly clear this is my opinion! China is in our area one of the main reasons that poaching is on the upswing. I will elaborate on a later post but for now I just want to talk about what this means to me.
For me lately I have been on the road to becoming a bit "hunted out" as I put it. I love hunting and all that it involves especially in Africa. The trackers, the PH's the baits the skinners and of course the animals but for me the challenge of hunting wild game in Africa is becoming second to the challenge of preserving it. I 'm by no means a "big hunter". I have had the great fortune and pleasure to hunt a lot of places around the world and none so absolutely fulfilling as Africa. I owe a lot of my experiences to my friend Jeff McCollum who started dragging me along with him many years ago. He brought me to Africa for the first time and I will always appreciate him for that and more.
Another friend taught me and showed me the virtues of the Niassa Reserve and the dedication of those that fight for the respect this hunk of earth deserves especially within it's own country of Mozambique. Derek Littleton adopted me back when I was very new to the ways of Northern Mozambique and always showed me true friendship as I attempted to make sense of often times the senseless logic that is the way in Mozambique. Many others helped with my education there and I still have a lot to learn but Derek taught me something most important. Just to stop what I was doing occasionally and enjoy Africa. When you stand in the presence of such extreme mass and power that is the African Elephant you immediately feel the insecurity of that the small piece of ground your two feet occupy. Then he or she looks you up and down and hopefully concluding your no threat he or she continues with whatever things occupy an elephant during the course of a day. The same with the rest that live there, they come and go for the most part allowing your presence sometimes some times not, Occasionally they grant you a small stay and if your lucky they will allow you to observe some event that you will find both astounding and mesmerising. This event can't be described to others so as to achieve the same as seeing it for yourself and afterward you probably wont even try, no you just file it away for yours and yours alone, your little gift from somewhere special. This poaching thing is real, real guns, real animals, real blood, real death. Think about this small herd standing at mid day under a grove of trees, cooling themselves with the flap of their big ears. Young juveniles and newborns playing or laying asleep nearby and then they come with their AKs and in a matter of minutes twenty or more of these massive creatures lay dead, dying or wounded and the gunmen move around shooting the survivors on the ground in the back of the head. Many of the young have been paid no attention to during the shooting, they won't go far without their mothers and as they return or stand there beside their family members they are shot also. The tails and tusks are taken, cut and chopped out of the flesh and skulls and that's it. Some of the poachers are from local villages in partnership with men from Tanzania who bring the guns and connections to get the ivory out. There is a problem here. This act of poaching comes not because there are no anti poaching patrols prowling the bush in each hunting block and not because the Reserve itself isn't on alert and actively pursuing all avenues to alleviate the problem, really you will never stop all the poaching sometimes you have to let Africa be Africa in that some poaching comes about to feed a starving African. Most of this is small game, birds etc. but a lot more is for profit and as time goes by hopefully the education of the indigenous people will prove out to remedy these small problems with locals. What I am worried about is the presence of organized groups of foreign, well supplied and well armed, well connected poaching rings that are directly connected to the illegal exportation of ivory. This problem is moving into Northern Mozambique and the real problem is the almost none exist ant support from the national government. Here in lies the Rub. The government Headquarters of Mozambique is far to the south in Maputo. More and more news of mining for minerals and drilling for oil and gas comes out of the North. Could it be the Mozambique Government would just rather see the animals and the Reserve of the north just go away and in so doing open the gates to, well to progress? I am seeking the advice from others as to what I could do with my small network of friends, perhaps send letters to the various Government Ministers? I think pressure from our Government would help but even more some carefully written press spread across various Internet news venues might prove powerful. What do you think? let me know.

Niassa Reserve is on Facebook

www.facebook.com/NiassaReserve

African wild dogs in Niassa Reserve, Mozambique

Niassa Carnivore Project

Niassa Carnivore Project



Introduction

Niassa National Reserve (NNR) is located in northern Mozambique on the border with Tanzania. It is one of the largest protected areas in Africa (42 000 km2) and is considered to be one of the “Last of the Wild” and most undeveloped places in Africa (WCS MegaFlyover and Human Footprint Project - Wildlife Conservation Society and Centre for International Earth Science Information Network, 2002).



Despite decades of war and neglect with only recent rehabilitation (2000), this extensive wilderness has survived largely intact (black rhino have disappeared). The protected area supports the largest concentrations of wildlife remaining in Mozambique including viable populations of the African lion, African wild dog, leopard and spotted hyaena. In addition these populations are linked to carnivore populations to the north in Tanzania (Selous Game Reserve) through the Selous – Niassa Wildlife Corridor. Rock art in the area shows that Niassa has always supported a human population and today more than 30 000 local residents live inside the protected area spread across 40 villages. Shifting subsistence agriculture is the primary land use and main economic activity. Cattle are absent due to tsetse fly, the vector for the disease trypanosomiasis, but smaller livestock, primarily goats and chickens, and domestic dogs are present in the larger villages.

The Niassa Carnivore Project (NCP) has been working in NNR since 2003 in close collaboration with SRN (The Society for the Development of the Niassa Reserve - the Management Authority of NNR), Niassa communities and tourism operators.

Through the work of the Niassa carnivore project, a population of more than 350 African wild dogs and 800-1000 lions have been identified in Niassa Reserve. As a result both lions and African wild dogs have been identified as a priority for research and conservation by SRN (the Management Authority of the Reserve). In addition NNR has been identified regionally as a priority for both lion and African wild dog conservation in eastern and southern Africa. The lion population is believed to be one of only five lion populations left in Africa that is currently increasing, with Niassa National Reserve a priority area for lion conservation while the Selous-Niassa trans-frontier wild dog population is the second largest wild dog population remaining in Africa. In addition, Niassa Reserve provides the core and source of largely unprotected lion and African wild dog populations extending from the east coast of Mozambique at Pemba to the western boundary with Malawi at Lake Niassa and extending 100 km southwards.



Aside from their conservation importance and status as flagships of Niassa, we believe that if we can secure these carnivore populations in the long term this will have broader biodiversity and social benefits for NNR and will go a long way towards securing NNR as a whole. The conservation of lions in particular touches on many of the major ecological and social challenges facing NNR at present and all these carnivores have the potential to generate significant revenues for communities and management of NNR through tourism initiatives. Grassroots community outreach and extension work will be fundamental to successful conservation efforts as the costs to communities living with large carnivores is significant through the loss of life, livelihoods and livestock. For example in the past eight years alone, 11 people have been killed by lion and 18 injured in the protected area and in 2008, a single male leopard killed 22 goats over a three week period in Mussoma village before being killed by the community. Similarly, there are currently serious threats to the large carnivores from people, including retaliatory killing as a result of human-carnivore conflict, indiscriminate snaring, the sport hunting of underage individuals (lion, leopard) and various disease risks, particularly rabies and canine distemper spread from domestic dogs. Successful sustainable conservation will require a multifaceted, collaborative approach that addresses both human and carnivore needs. The NCP pays particular attention to understanding human-carnivore conflict and developing, testing and finally implementing pragmatic and sustainable solutions in collaboration with Niassa communities. Emphasis on understanding the cultural role these carnivores play in the communities and reaffirming their cultural importance is considered vital. Targeted research and monitoring is essential to inform and monitor effective conservation activities however to ensure that monitoring is sustainable and ongoing and not researcher driven and important part of the project is to train selected NNR/ SRN staff and community scouts in relevant techniques and NNR is provided with detailed survey protocols as well as all the required equipment.

Photo courtesy of C.& K. Begg, Niassa Carnivore Project

In NNR, there is a unique opportunity to secure these populations and develop mitigation strategies before a crisis develops and support for conservation initiatives is eroded. However, the time for these actions is limited (less than 10 years) and if we do not act now this window of opportunity will close. NNR currently makes a significant contribution to the global conservation of all these carnivores largely due to its extreme size and remoteness, but the critical lack of resources faced by SRN and a rising human population inside the protected area with its associated increase in habitat transformation, human-wildlife conflict and poaching are an ever present threat.

The main goals of the Niassa Carnivore Project are:-

Use targeted research to specifically determine the status, density of and threats to lions, leopards, spotted hyaenas and African wild dogs in NNR and develop indicators and survey protocols that can be used for ongoing monitoring by local conservationists and SRN.
Examine the local contexts of large carnivore attacks, particularly by lions (humans, livestock) and identify, test and finally implement locally-derived, practical solutions with the active participation of local communities.
Develop and refine the Community-scout monitoring program to provide ongoing assessment of threats to carnivores, levels of human-carnivore conflict, and status of special species as well as provide incentives for community based natural resource management.
Assess and minimize the levels of disease risk (canine distemper, rabies, canine parvovirus) to African wild dogs and lions.
Collaborate with SRN and professional hunters to develop and implement locally developed sport hunting guidelines and trophy monitoring systems and providing independent monitoring of trophy quality for lion and leopard to ensure sustainable hunting while maximising economic returns to communities and SRN.
Initiate and manage community outreach initiatives (environmental education and extension work) in Niassa communities to promote the cultural, economic and conservation value of large carnivores and the use of effective conflict mitigation methods.
Ensure monitoring and conservation of carnivores in NNR is sustainable (not researcher driven) by providing appropriate training and mentorship, detailed surveying protocols and required equipment to NNR staff and local conservationists.
Disseminate the findings, mitigation strategies and protocols to inform broader national and regional conservation strategies and collaborate with local organisations wherever possible, including assisting and advising on Mozambican National Lion Conservation Strategy.
The Niassa Carnivore Project has a five pronged approach:

Targeted pragmatic research
Monitoring of threats and status
Direct mitigation of threats particularly human-carnivore conflict
Mentorship and training
Environmental education, awareness and community outreach
Targeted Research

Sound ecological and social research underpins all our activities, as we believe that only with a good local understanding of the issues can effective conservation be achieved. Intensive ecological research is focused in a specific study area situated along the Lugenda River. Our research activities include:

Radio-marking of selected lion and leopard with a combination of GPS and VHF radio collars to understand movement patterns, density, age structure, prey etc with a particular focus on the movements patterns of lion around villagers (why and when do they enter the village fields. At present, 6 leopard and 4 lion are radio-marked.
Disease analysis from blood samples in collaboration with Mozambican State Veterinary Department
Remote Camera trapping to determine the relative densities of different carnivores, density of leopard in hunted and non hunted areas, different habitats and around village fields to assess movement of problem animals.
Track and visual transects to assess prey density and relative densities of large carnivores.
Questionnaire surveys throughout NNR to assess human-carnivore conflict, cultural values, domestic dogs etc..
Lion and Spotted hyaena call-up surveys to assess density, age structure and changes in population structure over time (every three years).
Monitoring

Ongoing monitoring of the status of the carnivore populations and their threats is critical so that solutions can be implemented and a crisis is averted. However, this needs to be closely linked to mentorship and training to ensure this is not researcher driven but sustainable and an integral part of the management of the Reserve. Our monitoring activities include development of a Community Monitoring System (following the Namibian model of MOMS – Management Orientated Monitoring System) whereby community monitors are identified by traditional leaders in each village, they are trained by NNR staff at an annual meeting, are supported by the NCP and currently collect information on conflict events, sightings of special species (the community information provides the basis of monitoring of wild dog packs) and fishing activities. These community monitors provide an important link between reserve management and communities and are a way for communities to get actively involved in natural resource management. To date (2006-2008), 14 monitors from 13 villages have been trained. A NCP goal is for there to be 80% coverage of Niassa villages by community by end of 2010.

Direct Mitigation of threats

The Niassa Carnivore project works towards understanding the specific threats to the large carnivore populations in Niassa using targeted research and then finding pragmatic, sustainable locally based solutions in collaboration with communities and SRN. The main threats to carnivores in Niassa are listed in the table below:
Threat

Ranking

Comments

Inadvertent Snaring and poisoning

High

Snares set for ungulates for meat inadvertently catch carnivores

Human conflict - retaliatory killing

Medium

Loss of life, injury and stock losses

Sport hunting of underage individuals

Medium

Lion and leopard in trophy hunting concession in protected area

Disease - rabies and canine distemper

Medium

Spread from 200-300 domestic dogs resident in protected area

Targeted snaring for skin trade

Medium

Mainly for leopard, some lion

Road casualties

Low but increasing

Particularly wild dog, increasing as roads are upgraded

Traditional medicine

Low

All species

We are working to mitigate these threats in the following ways:

Supporting the vaccination and ongoing registration of domestic dogs inside the protected area boundary with development of zoning to prevent domestic dogs from spreading to villages where they are currently not present. Developing awareness material to protected people from rabies – posters, community meetings.
Using radio collaring to understand why large carnivores are entering villages and how this can be prevented
Testing ways to reduce warthog and bush pig damage in fields during the wet season as lions follow these favoured prey species into the fields and then come into direct contact with people.
Investigating carnivore attacks and identifying particular behaviours that place people and livestock at risk from attack (walking alone at night, sleeping outdoors, un-corralled goats). Communicating ways to minimize attacks to communities through village meetings, posters.
Developing of lion and leopard hunting sport hunting regulations for SRN that prevent hunting of underage animals (no lions under the age of six) and provide independent assessment and aging of trophies. This is linked to the development of visual aging characteristics that can be used by sport hunters to assess trophies accurately.
Supporting the NNR anti-poaching staff in NNR with equipment (GPS etc) and monitoring of snaring activities, investigation of alternatives.
Mentorship and Training

It is essential that carnivore conservation becomes and integral part of the management of NNR if it is to be sustainable in the long term and that it is not researcher driver .NCP provides training and mentorship to both NNR staff and local villagers. Our activities include providing NNR staff with direct field training on the project, providing NNR field staff with critical equipment where needed so they can work effectively (GPS, computer, binoculars, camera) and identifying and training local villagers as field assistants (GPS use, driving skills, radio tracking, basic car maintenance, trapping etc).

Education, Extension and Awareness

At present environmental education and extension work in Niassa communities is in its infancy. NCP reports information back to communities through local village meetings, posters and the community scouts. However the intention is to initiate more specific environmental education and a dedicated extension worker if funding can be found. NCP also disseminates information from the project to a broader Mozambican and international audience through scientific papers, presentations, assistance with national surveys, film, and popular articles.


PCT Grants

January 2009

The Trustees of The Predator Conservation Trust are pleased to be able to make a grant to the Niassa Carnivore Project in Mozambique. The grant is for £1000 and is intended to fund several things. The main part of the grant is for the work with the local community to reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict and includes Conflict Resolution Posters and Community meetings – conflict mitigation meetings and workshops. Another part of the grant is for Carnivore blood sample disease analysis. The final part of the grant is for general running costs, fuel etc.

Niassa Rock Art

Rock Art Paintings in the Niassa Reserve, northern Mozambique

Managed by the Sociedade para a Gestão e Desenvolvimento da Reserva do Niassa (SRN), the Niassa Reserve is vast and remote wilderness area of 42,000 sq km in northern Mozambique. There are approximately 25,000 people living inside the Reserve primarily from the Cyao and Makua tribal groups with some Ngoni, Marave and Matambwe people. Currently, Keith and Colleen Begg (the resident chief researchers) are studying carnivores along the Lugenda River in the Reserve.

While tracking one of the radiocollared lions in November 2005 they discovered what appeared to be paintings on the lower overhangs (north facing, 270m asl) of a large boulder which forms the end slope of a granite inselberg called Nkopola. The lion regularly rests in this spot in the shade of the boulder. Once the lion moved off they were able to investigate further. The paintings are primarily in an area of 0.5 x 0.5m with some additional marks on the south facing side (these might have been degraded as they are more exposed). Many of the paintings are parallel lines of fingertip sized dots, others are circles with three adjoining lines extending like fingers, or arcs of dots. They are primarily reddish in colour.

Radiocollared lions in the Niassa Reserve


Figures with additional lines and dots



The Beggs explored further in the immediate vicinity and found another site about 100 m away (283 asl), on the edge of a cave. These paintings are fainter but they appear to be two figures with additional lines and dots (red paint), there were also some fragments of pottery in the cave. The area is elevated above the surrounding Miombo woodland within 2 km of the Lugenda River. The boulder and associated small koppie system are unusual in this immediate area (although inselbergs are common) and Keith and Colleen could envisage why this area might be of spiritual significance as it is in a very special spot, and the boulder is an obvious landmark.


Large boulder at Nkopola


Niassa Reserve rock painting

Less than a kilometre away at the base of the same inselberg on the southeastern side is an old smelting site with slag remains of tuyeres and hundreds of fragments of pottery. The researchers have also found other smelting sites of a similar nature in the region, although these might date from a different time. When the Beggs asked some of the older local people who fish and honey-gather in the area about the paintings, they did not know anything about them but suggested the smelting site was probably the work of Ngoni people long ago.

Photographs by Keith & Colleen Begg/SRN
Sociedade para a Gestão e Desenvolvimento da Reserva do Niassa (SRN) www.niassa.com



www.bradshawfoundation.co

Serious Dinner Guest in Gorongosa

Photos by Rob Janisch

Niassa Reserve News Letter, In the works, coming soon in english

Info from Colleen Begg,

Colleen Begg 

This was the first ever environmental education in Mbamba village, we had a lot of fun over two days. The aim was to make conservation fun for the first time, reaffirm value of lions and test abilities of children to help us with the development of the Niassa Conservation Storybook and actvity book. We were helped by Paula Ferro (anthropologist, ...

Colleen Begg photos

Pictures from David Langerman, Luwire Safaris

Pangolin in transport container made from tree bark, caught by poachers.

The last two of this series of photos is of a Pangolin. The one above is a close up of the scales on his back and the one prior is of poachers standing beside a makeshift trap or way of transporting the animal. Pangolins are awesome creatures, a bit like our armadillo only about three times larger and thought to be good luck by the native population. Sometimes the scales are mixed with certain tree bark and then it is said to cancel out witchcraft and evil spirits. Pangolins are mammals from the family   

Pholidota, commonly known as scaly anteaters and are mostly nocturnal. Natives trap and sell them to fellow tribesmen who then eat them and in so doing inherit the good fortune from it as well as make use of the rest of the carcass for potions and spells.

Letting you know about a new project in Niassa! By Paula Ferro

Some of the children's art works that will be used in conjunction with the Project

A well used blackboard

School Project in Niassa Reserve, 2009

The Niassa Reserve is one of the greatest protected Miombo ecosystems in the world and the largest protected area in Mozambique, covering an area of 42,279 km². It is populated by approximately 25,000 inhabitants, primarily farmers and fisherman, mainly  Ajauas and Macuas. But this area is characterized as being very poor and isolated.

Colleen and Keith Begg, an extraordinary couple that have lived in the reserve for more than 7 years, put together a small project “Teachers for Conservation” at the end of 2009. The idea came not only from the researchers that work in the reserve but from the teachers of Mbamba, a small village in the South of the reserve. For the first time in the history of the Reserve the communities are interest in conservation, in ecology and nature. For the first time, all sort of interesting questions came to our ears, and the Beggs decided to run with this thirst to learn to create a project were the local population, kids, teachers and parents could be involved.

With some money that the Beggs managed to raise from their own projects we were able to start something that we think will make a difference to the kids of  Niassa Reserve. 

The first step is to raise USD$30 000 to produce a storybook, an activity book and a ABC wall chart done in capulanas , the local fabrics used for clothing in Africa.  We have managed to raise at least the first part of the funds for the Niassa Conservation story book, a total of $15 000. We invited an English artist that had work before on these type of projects in Asia and Africa. She came out in the last week of  October 2009, and stayed with us for about 3 weeks to get a feel of Niassa. We first worked  with the kids in Mbamba school and later met with teachers and the directors of the other schools of the Reserve in Mecula, which has the biggest community in The Niassa.

The Reserve has about 30 public schools. The number of kids is very variable, from 20 to 200 kids per school. The disciplines that the kids study, are Portuguese, Mathematics, History, Geography, etc. However no environmental or conservation subjects are taught, and most of the kids and teachers have never left their home village. This means that they have never seen wildlife apart from the animals that live around the villages. Our objective is to train the teachers with extra curriculum material to teach the kids about the environment around them, wildlife, trees, medicinal plants, the river, the mountains. We want to profit from their amazing natural surroundings, to show the teachers that the Reserve is a big living school. In this way the kids will learn and understand the reality of their environment and they will value and preserve the rich and beautiful place they live in. 

We have $15 000 but it is going to need another $15 000 to get it done properly!

I think your help will be invaluable, help to make a contribution that will hopefully have some lasting effect.... This is only the first step, to develop "Teachers for Conservation"- where each school has teachers trained in conservation, adequate basic material and where kids and adults born in Niassa Reserve have the satisfaction of  protecting their environment, their Home. Paula


If you are interested in helping with this project email me at audwinmcgee@gmail.com
There is more info coming that I will post directly. Audwin

Paula Ferro and friend.

Excerpts from an African Diary

 Another short excerpt from my Diary from last year. I spent a number of days alone, except for a skeleton crew of staff.  Januario," January" in English is basically the ruler of the Luchenge camp and he makes a mean Egg and Steak Breakfast as well. He is always "matter of fact" but with humor! My cohorts that are also responsible for this Blog are all busy covering up _ _ _ _! like a cat. Well they are making presentations, budget reports, new plans for next year, and generally taking care of whatever is required of them to continue to operate in the Reserve. Thus at this time there has been no voice other than myself tauting the beauty and rawness of Niassa Reserve. So I continue as best I can with what I felt and wrote last year while there. I hope it doesn't bore you so much.

Another day in Block C

Sitting here in a bush camp in Block C of the Reserve and listening to a Baboon barking down the way along the banks of the Rio Lugenda, (probably at a passing Leopard or probably nothing at all,) the air is blessed with a small breeze warm to the touch. The sounds are minimal as the noon hour approaches and most birds and the like that have chattered all morning and are looking for a cool place to sit and cool while the noon day heat passes. Januario begins the noonday radio broadcast to the other various camps searching for news, listening to the latest and noting the different requests by others. Supplies needed for the various camps stretched up and down the 200 kilometer stretch of Lugenda River that makes up Block C and then to the north in Block A to the border of Tanzania, beyond the American owned Block B. A total distance of over 400 Kilometers that will take you just over four days of very hard driving to navigate end to end.

Its warm but the breeze has started up, hopefully to continue on into the night. Looking out across the river, very low at this time of year and at this particular spot, “Luchenge Camp”, its approximately a quarter to a half mile wide. The main channel keeps to the middle and fingers still hold water going in and out around sand bars and banks that have only come to be seen this month as the water recedes. Four Kudu Cows come to drink on the far side as well as a family of warthogs. I’m no stranger to them as they are regulars and often spook each other coming and going down the same narrow trail for their afternoon sip.

I think of the Bat Hawk we saw the night before as I look down off the bank to the floor of the river below the camp where we waded, talked, cooled off and drank the remains of sundowners when a young Bull Elephant chased us up the bank to the dinning room showing us just how close we can get to nature here.

Not a manmade sound can be heard, only a dove calling and the splash of a Kingfisher fishing for his supper out in front in a pool of the river. The Kudu and Wart hogs have returned up the far bank and drifted into the bush to places unknown to me. I look and listen but there is only silence for now as the sun lights the sides of the mountains of granite to my right and a black tail kite floats past.

Diffenent Day, Same Place.

I called my wife on the sat phone just before the sun set. All is well. In the dinning room bats fly by catching fresh bugs, Elephants talk to each other across the river in short blasts of their music, The night birds are waking up along with the crickets, frogs and various other voices of the night. What’s on the menu for tonight I wonder, Hyenas calling, Lions, Leopards more Elephants and a few Bush Babies I’m sure. I try not to go to sleep to soon when I lay down and all gets quiet except for the bush. I want to hear it all, its unnervingly romantic and soothing all at the same time. Januario is here with supper. I put on a little music and pour a drink, rum and orange juice tonight as an old Eagles song comes on the IPod. There’s no ice though, the generator has been off most of the day. Not important, it doesn’t get any better.

Don Januario brings my supper, eggs with cheese and fried potatoes, Baboons are barking in the distance. I cut the music so I can listen. They stop and I have to ask myself if they were protesting the music or a Leopard looking up at them from the Bush below their tree. I feel like a shower and bed. Don Januario comes back to clear the table and I look for my rifle to take the walk to my quarters. A good night on the Lugenda continues.

Last night was nothing short of a great scene from a movie. I slept 30 ft off the ground in a small sleeping porch erected by my hosts for various reasons not the least of which is to sleep in the trees looking at the stars, listening to Africa mill around in the dark below, and Africa was busy last night. From the different locations of the sounds made by the different elephants that fed below me I would estimate at lest 8-9 were busy stripping limbs and breaking branches and in general having a great meal. I dozed off and on as they munched below, an occasional trumpet would signal something to somebody. I tried putting a torch on an especially close individual but the thick vegetation prevented me seeing him and I quickly turned off. All was quite for sometime and I assumed that they had moved off without me knowing, they can be quite silent as they travel when they want. However they were still there, I began hearing, very almost quite snores, answered by little guttural rumbles from first one, then another. I assumed they were locating each other, this went on till I dozed off, and they were gone when the birds and monkeys woke me at dawn. I watched the last shooting star of the night burn out across the darker part of the horizon.

Later same day,

The afternoon sun finally dips low enough to intrude into the dinning room where I sit and write. The glare is a bit obnoxious but the heat is what I dread. All today has been warm, very warm. I have taken several cold showers and had the idea to go out looking for a big Hippo at about 7.30, after morning coms with whoever, but after I had a bowl of cereal at about 7.45 I decided that I could wait till the afternoon and then the clouds vanished and the wind laid and the heat intensified and well, I called it off. I just sat and wrote and read and called Sandi on the Sat Phone, then I called Mareth, then I sat and wrote some more and read some more, then lunch came, spaghetti and some sort of concoction from the last three previous meals to spread on top I suppose. It always interests me to see what will turn up when the stores run low. I don’t even have a cook here at present, they are off seeking affection from their many wives, but Januario is in form and is happy to experiment on me. It was filling and I remember the radio request I made to Pemba for rations. Rum, Whiskey and Tooth Paste. Note to self. In the morning also request potatoes, potatoes and maybe a little fruit. Meat is no problem, I have dined as if in the best Argentine Steak House. Everything from Kudu, Bushbuck, Wart Hog, Reedbuck etc. etc. and I would like to inquire what kind of "Rub" Januario is using, but I think it is his own concoction and I am better off letting that sleeping dog lie. The monkeys have made several forays at the place today and I have thrown my share of Baobab fruit at them but they will not be denied it seems as I can see them in mass on the peripheral of my baobab fruit tossing range, waiting for their chance but not today, I am firmly entrenched. I haven’t any need for anything, except a visit from my wife. No, I have tunes on the iPod, good rum, a sat phone to contact anyone I deem necessary to hear my voice and those are few, very few, yes this is a good place, its one of those "you can’t call me but if I want to I can call you places." I think you could market that very thought. What say you pay me to take you to a place where no one can contact you? What would that be worth to you? Let me know maybe I can arrange something for a nominal fee. Well believe it or not it just began to rain, excuse me while I walk out and feel the first rain of the year here.

Later,

There is something about being the only white man on appox. 6 thousand square kilometers of African Bush. It either gives you a smile or makes you a bit apprehensive. I suppose for me its what I always wanted and is the closest thing to being like the old boys were, out there by the seat of their pants making  calluses on their hands and blisters on their feet. They were satisfied and that’s all they wanted. No one saw it but them! No one wrote down the stories for the most part, they existed only as long as they were alive, but when they died the stories died with them. And that was ok, cause they didn’t live it for no one else other than themselves. They gave one hell of a sacrifice. They most often sacrificed a long life back at home for the quick death of injury by the claw and tooth or the slow death of disease. Some never had the pleasure of holding their first born much less seeing them grow to adulthood. But why you say? Well if you don’t know the answer to that then you wouldn’t understand if I explained.

It is what it is and it is for the few, damn the critics.

 The Niassa Sun sets in the West, the wind blows up another thunderstorm, Robert Earl Keen plays I’m coming home on the stereo and I sip my rum and coke. Life is good out here in Niassa. I’m sitting here in God knows where thinking about the real world, or the fake world, whatever, I like this better, you should try it. AP

River Lodge, Luwire Safaris Mozambique

This Camp is Luwire's Flagship Camp. There are five other Bush Camps along the river each with it's own unique personality, and each with it's own unique Flora and Fauna. The great thing about coming to Luwire is the variety you will experience staying in different locations along the river if you choose. AP

Outside Magazine's "Peter Stark" wrote At the Mercy of the River, An Exploration of Africa"s last remaining Wilderness

Peter Stark, shown in the picture on the cover of his book . Peter and several others ran the Lugenda River of the Niassa Reserve back in 2002 I believe. He wrote "At the Mercy of the River" which documented the expedition. The mountain in the background
is the same rock that is seen in many of our photos because now it is seen from the dining room of the Luchenge Camp, Luwire Safari's "Headquarters" location on the Lugenda. Note the river level at this time of year, sometime in early spring. The river at this time of the year boasts class 5 rapids in many sections. Keith and Colleen have ran the entire river themselves and have mapped with GPS coordinates all the major rapids. We hope to begin float trips in this part of the season very soon. AP