(London, England - 16 June 2004) - The world�s whaling nations - Japan, Norway and Iceland - all have their fleets at sea at the same time, with their harpoons trained on the world�s largest marine mammals, for the first time in 15 years.
The International Fund For Animal Welfare (IFAW � www.ifaw.org) campaigns around the world to end commercial whaling and promote responsible whale watching as a humane and sustainable alternative. IFAW�s unique research and education vessel, Song of the Whale, is traveling to Iceland on its maiden voyage.
Japan�s whaling fleet left the harbor to hunt 150 minkes, 50 Bryde�s, 50 sei, and 10 sperm whales in the North Pacific. In Norway, 340 minkes, from a quota of 670, have been killed so far in the North Atlantic and the first whale meat from the hunt is now on sale. Meanwhile Iceland, which resumed whaling last year, has taken five minkes and plans to kill another 20 around its shores before the end of June.
IFAW�s Vassili Papastavrou said, �Most people think we saved the whale in 1986 when a worldwide moratorium (temporary ban) on whaling came into force. Tragically, three countries have found ways around the ban and are killing around 1,400 whales a year between them.�
�Far from improving, things are getting worse for the whales. Iceland rejoined the whaling community in 2003, after mothballing its whaling fleet for 15 years; and Japan is targeting endangered species including Bryde�s, sei and sperm whales, as well as hunting in an internationally recognized sanctuary in the Southern Ocean.�
Japan and Iceland exploit a provision in the International Whaling Convention, which allows whales to be killed for scientific purposes. The Japanese and Icelandic governments fund their �scientific� whaling programs and the meat is sold in supermarkets and restaurants in both countries.
In Japan, the Fisheries Agency conducts a bullish marketing campaign to encourage more people to try whale meat, promoting products such as whale burgers and whale blubber ice cream, and encouraging schools to serve whale dishes to children.
Norway raised an objection to the international moratorium on whaling in 1982 and has continued to hunt minke whales commercially in the North Atlantic. Like Japan and Iceland, Norway has a growing whale watching industry.
Iceland announced plans to kill 500 whales (minke, fin and sei) in 2004/2005 as part of a scientific program. So far, it has restricted its whaling activities to the more numerous minke, killing 36 last year. Whale watch and tourist operators in Iceland have condemned the return to whaling, and together with international critics, have provoked increasing debate on the issue among the Icelandic public.
###
For media-related inquiries, contact:
Chris Cutter, IFAW, U.S. Tel: 508-744-2066, Email: [email protected]
Editors: For more information visit www.ifaw.org
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
International private sector partnership attempts to tackle �Kyoto Protocol Exempt Global Airline Industry�s Pollution,� -one traveler at a time.
Greenwood Lake, New York (PRWEB) Jun 29, 2004 � The Global Airline Industry is sharply reducing the positive environmental benefits of the Kyoto Protocol.
The largest negative impact of air travel is the jet greenhouse gas emissions. The UK-USA private sector partnership between Climatecare.org and vacationtechnician.com presents an elegant solution to offset one of the largest unchecked catalysts driving global climate change, widely known as Global Warming.
Despite the global airline industry's heavy environmental toll, guidelines on international aircraft emissions were excluded from the Kyoto protocol on climate change and aviation fuel is tax-exempt. High altitude airline exhaust is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gases. The exponential growth of low cost air carriers worldwide is only serving to compound the problem.
�At the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, international aviation emissions were not included in the agreed targets, because of the difficulties that had arisen over the methodologies for allocating these emissions.�
Example: during a typical flight from Europe and the USA to Africa: from London to Johannesburg each passenger is responsible for 2.5 tons of CO2 while if flying from New York, this rises to 3.5 tons!
The Vacation Technician Company offers a convenient way of both calculating these emissions and �repairing� their negative impact on Earth's atmosphere. Each vacationtechnician.com client is consulted regarding the carbon created by their flight. Clients are then asked to make a distance calculated "offset" or financial contribution which funds a CO2 reduction project in a financially less fortunate country, professionally managed by Climatecare.org
"Beneath the glamorous high-flying image of aviation is a grossly polluting industry," said Paul de Zylva, head of Friends of the Earth in London.
�Amid years of scientific warnings on Climate Change and Global Warming, real conservation options have been non existent for environmentally sensitive air travelers,� says David Chamberlain, director of vacationtechnician.com. �We are excited to enable our clients an option to "offset" the excessive greenhouse gas and carbon emissions generated as they fly to the most enchanting wilderness retreats in the world.�
Climate Care was formed in 1998 as a limited company, to help individuals and organizations reduce their own impact on global warming. Then, as now, we were in no doubt of the enormity of the challenge, but we reasoned: "One World. One Climate. Two Choices." The first choice is to ignore the problem and hope it will go away by itself. The second choice is to acknowledge the problem and then take sensible, sure steps to resolving it.
The VacationTechnician Company is committed to providing discerning international traveler�s routes of discovery to both explore & protect the most remote & pristine wildlife areas left on our planet. Enlightening and exhilarating adventure tourism can bring hope to less developed economies and those less fortunate while at the same time sustaining and protecting our rapidly diminishing natural areas worldwide. Luxury adventure never made so much sense.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
David Chamberlain
The VacationTechnician Company
155 Blueberry Hill
Greenwood Lake, NY 10925
1-866-589-8792 USA
001-866-589-8792 International
http://www.vacationtechnician.com/x/climatecare.htm
Tom Morton
ClimateCare
58 Church Way
Oxford
OX4 4EF
United Kingdom
http://www.climatecare.org
Tel: +44 (0)1865 777 770
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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First Ever Standards Linking Climate Change, Biodiversity and Poverty Opened Up for Global Peer Review
Global Collaboration between Private Sector, Conservation Groups and Academia seek practical solutions to fight global warming while conserving biodiversity and alleviating poverty
Washington, DC - The first ever set of standards certifying land use projects that reduce global warming while conserving the environment and alleviating poverty have been opened up for global peer review and comment by the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA).
This "multiple benefit" approach which incorporates climate, environmental and social issues addresses shortfalls in existing land-based climate strategies. With input from environmental organizations, academic institutions and the private sector, the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards will help companies, conservation organizations, governments and international funding groups to efficiently identify cost-effective carbon emission reduction projects that also have a positive impact on biodiversity and local communities.
The CCBA members include: BP, Conservation International, GFA Terra Systems, the Hamburg Institute of International Economics, Intel, The Nature Conservancy, Pelangi, and SC Johnson. Other institutions helping refine the standards and ensure broad input include the World Agroforestry Center (formerly ICRAF) in Kenya, the Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigacion y Ensanansa (CATIE) based in Costa Rica, and the Center for International Forestry Research based in Indonesia.
"Integrated projects are the most immediate and realistic solutions to combat biodiversity loss, reduce poverty and fight climate change," said John-O Niles, CCBA project manager. "The standards will help the private sector and government funding agencies identify multiple-benefit projects that solve three pressing global problems. The standards will also ensure that land management efforts do not narrowly address one important problem while ignoring or exacerbating others."
All parties interested in reviewing and commenting on the standards can do so online at www.climate-standards.org. The first stage of the public comment period runs from June 7th through July 15th, 2004. Field-testing and a second round of comments will take place later this year.
"We hope this first draft of the CCB Standards will stimulate a broad set of comments and perspectives from around the world," said Michael Dutschke, staff member with the Hamburg Institute of International Economics. "With a wide range of input, the next draft of the standards will be an improved, collaborative effort that includes the views of stakeholders outside the original members of our Alliance."
The CCB standards are primarily designed for projects that mitigate or adapt to climate change. Climate change land use projects, also called land use, land-use change and forestry projects and abbreviated LULUCF, reduce or prevent emissions (e.g., conservation of threatened ecosystems), sequester carbon (e.g., ecosystem restoration, reforestation, agro-forestry, afforestation) or develop substitutes for fossil fuels (bioenergy projects). The Standards, however, can evaluate land management projects outside of the climate change arena. The Standards will work in developing, developed or emerging economies and can be used for projects with private investment, public investment or a combination.
"The CCBA offers Intel the opportunity to efficiently address several important global issues in one organization," said Terry McManus, Intel Fellow, Intel Corporation.
"We hope that these standards will influence the array of policies that are emerging at the state, national and international level. Current policies to reduce global warming emissions do not do enough to encourage land use projects with biodiversity and social benefits," said Tia Nelson, Director of the Climate Change Initiative at the Nature Conservancy. "With these new standards we have a chance to change that and ensure multiple environmental gains."
The CCB Standards will ensure that land management projects using the Standards deliver clear and compelling benefits for the climate, biodiversity and communities. To earn certification, a project must satisfy minimum requirements in each of these areas. A project must also score 50 out of 100 points for each of the components. This scoring system will also enable CCB-rated projects to be compared with one another.
The scoring system will look at several factors in the three integrated categories:
Climate Change: The climate standards identify a variety of factors to quantify the amount of carbon emissions reduced or absorbed by land based projects including baselines, additionality, leakage, monitoring and the permanence of the climate benefit.
Community: The community standards identify land-based carbon projects that involve local communities in the design and operation of land management projects and produce real and verifiable benefits for project communities.
Biodiversity: The biodiversity standards identify projects that enhance landscape management by restoring and/or maintaining local plant and animal species populations, their associated genetic variability, and their habitats, restoring and/or maintaining biological connectivity, and conserving or enhancing water resources.
Overwhelming scientific evidence implicates greenhouse gases generated by human activity in changing the global climate. Simultaneously, record numbers of people subsist in poverty and massive biodiversity losses continue largely unabated. Making matters worse, these challenges reinforce one another. Climate change can exacerbate poverty and accelerate biodiversity loss. Poverty often forces local people to exploit their environment unsustainably. And degraded environments in turn can contribute to poverty and hasten climate change.
"With international input from the private sector, conservation community and academia, we can ensure that the CCB standards are more than just an academic exercise, but rather a practical tool that will produce real conservation and community outcomes," said Michael Totten, Conservation International's Senior Director of Climate. "Broad based feedback from all stakeholders will only further strengthen the work that has been done."
CCB certified projects will counter climate change, promote sustainable development and conserve or restore biodiversity. In addition to these tangible benefits, integrated efforts can attract a unique portfolio of investors and resources. For example, a reforestation project - with clear multiple benefits - may attract private investors for carbon credits, government money for sustainable development and private conservation dollars for biodiversity activities.
On the other hand, poor quality land management can hasten climate change, damage ecosystems and harm community livelihoods. An example of an inferior project is a non-native plantation that blocks migratory routes of key species and illegally evicts local people. Some inferior projects will cause harm, while others may cause tradeoffs between climate change mitigation, sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
This draft marks the beginning of a broad, international review. Community groups, non-profit organizations, companies, academics, government agencies and individuals are encouraged to review this draft and suggest improvements. All types of comments are welcome: critiques, improvements, specific language changes and comments on the overall structure. A review team will consider comments and revise the Standards accordingly. The review team includes the original authors and three world-class advising institutions. After the revisions, a second draft of the Standards will be re-posted on the website for additional comments. Simultaneously, the revised Standards will be field-tested at a dozen sites around the world. Based on field-testing and further comments, the review team will again modify the standards into a final form. The final CCB Standards will be distributed and available on the Internet in late 2004 or early 2005.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Global Airline Industry reducing Positive Environmental Benefits of Kyoto Protocol
"At the Third Session of the Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, international aviation emissions were not included in the agreed targets, because of the difficulties that had arisen over the methodologies for allocating these emissions". Reference
The largest negative impact of your holiday travel is the greenhouse gas emissions from your air travel. The Vacation Technician Company and Climatecare offer a convenient way of both calculating these emissions and �repairing� their impact on the climate -thereby making an equivalent emissions reduction or "offset."
FYI:
Reuters CNN May 24, 2004 - In Sydney Airport's crowded international terminal, passengers make last-minute passport checks or fret over toddlers in pushchairs as they wait in the snaking queue to check in for the 23-hour flight to London.
But few of the 400 passengers crammed on to each jumbo jet taking off over Botany Bay ever consider the environmental impact of their 17,000km intercontinental trip.
Passengers will consume at least 1600 meals in plastic containers, but each plane travelling to London will guzzle more than 200 tonnes of jet fuel and pump out more than 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide, as well as other greenhouse gases.
"Beneath the glamorous high-flying image of aviation is a grossly polluting industry," said said Paul de Zylva, head of Friends of the Earth in London.
Scientists say airlines rate as one of the most polluting forms of transport, with 16,000 commercial jets producing more than 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
Climate change, caused by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, is deemed by many experts to be the biggest long-term threat to mankind.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates aviation causes 3.5 per cent of man-made global warming and that figure could rise to 15 per cent by 2050.
Nasa scientists say condensation trails from jet exhausts create cirrus clouds that may trap heat rising from the earth's surface.
This could account for nearly all the warming over the United States between 1975 and 1994.
Earth's Climate & You...Click for Facts
The International Air Transport Association, the body which represents the world's airlines, accepts that aircraft cause environmental damage.
"Every minute we can save in flight times has a positive impact on the environment and on our costs," said Iata spokesman Anthony Concil.
Despite the industry's heavy environmental toll, guidelines on international aircraft emissions were excluded from the Kyoto protocol on climate change and aviation fuel is tax-exempt.
Aerospace firms have made huge leaps forward, with commercial jets 70 per cent more fuel-efficient per passenger kilometre than they were 40 years ago, thanks to better engines, lighter materials and aerodynamic designs.
And cost-obsessed carriers are continuously searching for ways to use capacity better, find more direct flight paths and cut congestion in order to trim the hefty fuel bills which make up 25 per cent of airline operating costs.
Dirt cheap airfares, thanks to the runaway success of low-cost carriers, mean thousands more people are now taking to the skies.
"It's a catch-22 situation. Many developing countries want to promote tourism as a revenue source and a lot of no-frills airlines are appearing in Malaysia and other parts of Asia," said Gurmit Singh, of Malaysia's Centre of Environment Technology and Development.
The sheer growth of passenger volumes is likely to negate the benefits of future improvements, say environmentalists.
Simon Thomas, chairman of London-based environmental consultancy Trucost, estimates that technological improvements help trim emissions by around 1 per cent a year, a drop in the ocean when the aviation industry is forecasting 5 per cent annual traffic growth for the next two decades.
The aviation industry opposes any new green taxes, saying many airlines are still in recovery mode after the September 11 attacks.
Instead of curbing damaging emissions, new levies would only bump up fares and damage low-cost carriers in particular, say aviation groups.
But green initiatives such as global emissions trading schemes for airlines are gaining favour.
British Airways already takes part in emissions trading and budget airline EasyJet said it would support any Government moves towards an aviation emissions trading scheme.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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About The VacationTechnician Company
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22 June 2004
BOTSWANA PRESIDENT PERSONALLY GIVES BLANKETS TO
BUSHMEN AND TELLS THEM NOT TO GO HOME
Plan a Bushman Safari with vacationtechnician.com
In a surprising move, last week the president of
Botswana personally visited New Xade, one of the
government sites where the 'Bushmen' were taken
after being expelled from their ancestral land.
Although it was only 3 weeks before the Bushmen
take his government to court for the right to
return to their land, President Festus Mogae was
accompanied by Sidney Pilane, the lawyer acting
for the government in the case.
Pre-judging the court's ruling, the president
told the San Bushmen that they should not try to
return to their land and also distributed
handouts of food, clothing and blankets.
He told the Bushmen: 'I am your father and I have come to
check up on my children.'
Stephen Corry, director of Survival, which is
very well-known in Botswana for its support of
the Bushmen, said today, 'To pretend that this
visit is not a blatant attempt to influence the
court case, and the British MPs' trip,* is just
na�ve.
In other countries, a visit from the head
of state - and defendant - so close to the court
hearing would not be allowed.
The irony is that the president's handouts actually reinforce the
state of dependency the Bushmen have been reduced
to. These hunter-gatherers are no longer allowed
to hunt and have been turned by the government
into beggars and prostitutes.
So the president's actions are in fact entirely in keeping with his
prevailing attitude, that the Bushmen are to be
stripped of their ability to lead lives outside
of government control. To call this 'development'
is just a mockery. It's an appalling 21st century
echo of how indigenous peoples in North America
were once robbed of their lands in exchange for a
few blankets.'
A Bushman who must remain anonymous said of the visit, 'This is just bribery.'
* A group of British MPs is due to visit New Xade
at the end of June 2004. They are: Nigel Jones, Dianne
Abbott, Tony Banks, Ashok Kumar, Alan Meale,
Roger Godsiff, Jane Griffiths, Andrew Hunter,
John Horam, Paul Keetch.
UK: New motion in Parliament on Bushmen
A second Early Day Motion has been tabled in the UK�s House of Commons supporting the Bushmen�s right to return to their homeland. 24 MPs have already signed; if you live in the UK, please urge your MP to sign too. The motion (EDM no. 1168) can be read at http://edm.ais.co.uk/weblink/html/motion.html/ref=1168. To locate your MP you can use the following website: http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/
BOTSWANA: Bushman hunters arrested
Three Bushmen from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana have been arrested and charged with �unlawful hunting�. The three were hunting near the resettlement centre of New Xade, where they have been forced to live since the government evicted them from their reserve in 2002. The arrests are the latest in a rising tide of persecution of Gana and Gwi Bushman hunters. The Bushmen were banned from hunting and gathering in the reserve after the evictions, and since then those hunting around the resettlement centres have faced harassment, arrest and heavy fines or imprisonment. �I feel angry because I am a hunter and I�m not allowed to hunt. I have children but I don�t know how to feed them,� says one man. In the resettlement centres, the Bushmen are dependent on government rations.
For more information contact Miriam Ross on (+44)
(0)20 7687 8734 or email
[email protected]
Survival International is a worldwide organisation supporting tribal
peoples. It stands for their right to decide their own future and
helps them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7687 8701
General enquiries: [email protected]
http://www.survival-international.org
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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June 22, 2004
DeBeers Diamonds: Last Straw for Botswana Bushman?
The court case that could decide the future of the Gana and Gwi
Bushmen will be held in July this year. Two hundred and forty-eight
Bushmen and Bakgalagadi are taking Botswana to court over the
government's forced eviction of them and their families from their
ancestral land, in what could be a test case for Bushman rights
across southern Africa.
Sign the Petition to support the Bushmen.
The case will begin on 4 July with an 'inspection in loco' of the
resettlement centres, and of the Bushman communities in the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve to which nearly 200 Bushmen have returned
despite government opposition. Fearing that their voices will not be
heard, as has been the case in previous government-led tours, the
Bushmen are calling for observers from the local and international
media to observe the 'inspection'.
The Bushmen want the government to recognise their rights to return
to their land and live there without fear of further eviction, and to
hunt and gather freely. The original case was dismissed on a
technicality in April 2002. The Bushmen appealed, and won the right
to have the case re-heard on its merits.
Note: Wildlife department permits are required to enter the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve. Entry to the resettlement centres outside the
reserve is unrestricted.
Permits are also required for filming. In the past, film makers have
sometimes been prevented from filming by the police, even when they
had the required permit.
For further information, please contact Kali Mercier at +44 20 7687
8731 or email [email protected]
--
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0) 20 7687 8701
General enquiries: [email protected]
http://www.survival-international.org
.::.
Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Article Permalink Link: thetimes.co.uk
June 12, 2004
Global Warming
Green tax looms for Airlines
Why should only car drivers stump up?
Tom Chesshyre investigates:
MOTORISTS and environmental groups are complaining that it�s not fair that cars are taxed so much while aeroplanes are not.
They say that it is only a matter of time before the Government realises that drastic action must be taken to curb the aviation industry�s carbon emissions. And the two main remedies are �green taxes� on the price of tickets � possibly �5 for short-haul flights � or for airlines to introduce new, more energy-efficient planes.
�The Government is beginning to realise it has a problem on its hands, as aviation is expanding at a rate that is faster than the economy,� said Tom Morton, director of Climate Care, an environmental organisation based in Oxford.
This, he explained, means that other parts of the economy, such as the motor industry, are being put under greater pressure to reduce carbon emissions to maintain UK commitments made in the Kyoto agreement of 1997. Meanwhile, planes are getting off �very lightly indeed�.
�International aviation is outside the Kyoto protocol and there is, currently, no tax on aviation fuel,� he said. �Other businesses are asking: �Why should we take all the burden?� There will come a point when the Government will be unable to avoid this issue.�
John Dawson, director of the AA Motoring Trust, said: �It�s not fair to charge motorists but not aircraft. We pay massively over the environmental costs in taxes. You could argue that increased prices would reduce demand and there would be fewer flights. We think a charge of about �15 would act to offset every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted.�
Taxes on car fuel are 75 per cent of the per-litre cost.
The calls come in the same week that the Environmental Audit Committee described the growth in aviation as �one of the most unsustainable trends in UK society. Aviation growth will contribute hugely to global warming and will exacerbate the difficulty of achieving the reductions in greenhouse gases which will be vital if we are to avoid the effects of climate change.�
The Government is committed to cutting carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. But it also aims to allow air travel to increase from 180 to 480 million passengers a year by 2030.
Tom Morton of Climate Care said that the aviation industry is beginning to act, with British Airways leading the way by voluntarily signing up to a �UK emissions trading scheme�, which covers domestic flights only. Under this scheme, BA is given a government incentive to reduce its emissions. The European Union is considering a similar EU-wide project.
Climate Care estimates that the cost of offsetting the carbon dioxide damage caused by a return flight to Lisbon is �5, while it would be �16 for Los Angeles and �31 for Sydney. These amounts could be used, Morton said, for projects such as low-energy lighting and reforestation which balance the emissions.
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Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe - With a name like that, one would think this town would have no trouble attracting tourists. After all, Victoria Falls, the town, is cheek-by-jowl with Victoria Falls, the waterfall - a jaw-dropping, heart-stopping torrent one mile wide and 300 feet high, its constant roar audible for a mile or more, its towering cloud of spray visible from the farthest horizon. Mere words do not do justice to Victoria Falls. One must see it to appreciate it.
Makalolo Safari Report June 2004
Linkwasha Safari Report June 2004
Plan a Zimbabwe Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Where better to start to see the waterfall than Victoria Falls, the town? Until lately, the answer was "nowhere."
In the contest for falls-hungry tourists, Victoria Falls towered over its only rival, Livingstone, just across the broad Zambezi River in Zambia. Lively Vic Falls embraced everyone from backpackers to jet-setters; bungee-jumpers to golfers. Livingstone, disheveled and sedentary, had some historic cachet: it is named after the explorer David Livingstone, the first European to see the falls. But for tourists, it was an afterthought. Then Zimbabwe imploded. And the tables turned.
Suddenly, prosaic Livingstone is hot, jamming visitors into new four-star hotels and river's-edge lodges, bursting with upscale craft and souvenir shops, clubs and casinos. Victoria Falls is not. "There's just no one coming here," a disconsolate businessman said, a conclusion borne out by even a brief stroll in the deserted shopping district. Since early 2000, when squatters began occupying that nation's white-owned farms in what would become a wholesale seizure of commercial farmland, tourism in Zimbabwe has hit the skids. Things grew worse in 2002, after President Robert G. Mugabe was re-elected in balloting marred by widespread violence. It deepened further last year, as inflation roared past 600 percent and fuel shortages became pervasive.
In truth, Zimbabwe's violence and repression have largely passed by Victoria Falls. The region is so solidly in the camp of Mr. Mugabe's political opponents - and such an important source of scarce hard currency - that the government has avoided measures seen in other opposition centers, like the invasions of pro-government youth militia, which might scare tourists away.
But Zimbabwe's reputation has grown increasingly ugly, especially among tourists from members of the Commonwealth nations, mostly former British possessions. Mr. Mugabe quit the Commonwealth in December after it refused to lift its suspension of Zimbabwe in protest of the nation's human rights policies.
One hotelier in Victoria Falls, who refused to be identified for fear of retaliation, said tourist traffic from Europe and the United States has been little affected by Zimbabwe's turmoil, but that visits from commonwealth nations have all but dried up. Some tour agencies in some Commonwealth nations have removed Zimbabwe from their lists, one South African agent said, and replaced it with package trips to Zambia.
During a recent visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, Mike Carter, a New Zealand appraiser on vacation with his family, emerged raincoat-clad from the falls' drenching mist and said, "We never considered coming to Victoria Falls," the town. "We wouldn't bother going 'til they sort things out." Zimbabwe's loss has been Zambia's gain. Livingstone's hotel occupancy has jumped since 2000, to 50 percent from an average of 36 percent, despite a brace of new hotels.
The contrast with Victoria Falls could hardly be more stark. Zimbabwe businessmen say average hotel occupancy runs between 20 and 30 percent, and some of the bigger four-and five-star resorts have severely pared their staff to keep from closing. The world-famous grand dame of local hostelries, the Victoria Falls Hotel, marked its centennial in June with hallways of empty rooms despite an effort to lure celebrants with a 100th-birthday package. The plight of merchants is, if anything, bleaker. Souvenir shops on the main street to Victoria Falls sometimes pass the entire day without ringing up a single sale, one vendor said. Some wholesalers and street vendors have given up and moved their operations to Zambia, prompting a government minister to denounce them as unpatriotic in a recent meeting with the town's beleaguered businessmen.
Things could change, of course: longtime residents remember that Vic Falls prospered most in the 1970's, when Zambia's economic policies drove that nation and its Livingstone tourism business close to ruin. In the meantime, merchants and hotel operators might take a tip from a tourism Web site and try to turn their bitter plight into tourism lemonade. Zimbabwe's national parks "are completely safe to visit, as they are far from the cities where the instability exists," the site says. "Game lodges are desperate for occupants, so prices are extremely competitive. And low lodge occupancy means you'll have thousands of hectares of pristine game country virtually all to yourself."
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A stroll into the 19th Century
The room information at Kaya Mawa looked promising.
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Learn more about Malawi here.
"Turn your watch forward one hour and back 100 years. Likoma Island is the most remote outpost of the Malawi nation so relax and enjoy your escape from what we call the mainland."
We all got up at 05h45 and made our way to Joan's room where the morning tea was going to be served but more importantly to see the sunrise over the lake. We missed it the day before! Being on the southern tip of the island Kaya Mawa is one of the few places on Lake Malawi where you can see both sunset and sunrise.
Our plans to leave for our walk to the cathedral at 07h00 fell by the wayside when we all ordered 'the full monty' for breakfast instead of the healthy fruit and toast that we had boasted about having the night before after our 3 course dinner and wine under the stars! It is a battle of wills and once one person succumbs then we all did!!! Eggs, bacon, pancakes, French toast���� the list is endless.
We left at 08h30 with Davie as our guide carrying several bottles of ice cold water.
The walk takes about 45 mins to an hour at a leisurely place through the villages and over small hills. Likoma Island is only 7kms long and 4 kms wide and has a population of around 6000 people. The southern end is fairly flat and dry while the north is hillier and densely populated. The closer you get to the main town the more people you encounter. There were plenty of children, the bolder ones wanting to hold our hands and the shy ones running away as soon as we approached!
Early on in the walk Cristof one of my traveling companions produced a packet of balloons and showed them how to make those awful whistling sounds which provided entertainment for all including the parents close by!
Davie kept up an interesting running commentary on all the schools that we passed. The landscape is dotted with large baobab trees the most interesting being one that was overtaken by a strangler fig and has totally rotted away. Only the strangler fig is there in the shape of a baobab so we all got inside which felt like a natural thing to do!!!
What struck me most about this gentle stroll was how not how friendly the locals were- everyone in Malawi is friendly-but what an unintrusive cultural experience this is. The missionary heritage of Likoma means that nearly everyone speaks English and there are enough tourists that you are not viewed as a celebrity, but not enough that anyone modifies their behaviour at all to try to get you to part with your money. It is possible to wander into a village and start up a conversation with anyone.
We stopped en route at the tiny settlement of Khuyu and made a courtesy call on Dr. Kumpalotta, the island's only traditional healer and a man revered throughout Malawi. He is a great character with matted dreadlocks tucked into a turban and it is an interesting comment on the islander's broad minded outlook that he coexists quite happily with the Anglican churchgoers who will find nothing strange in consulting both the good Doctor and the trained medical staff at the island's only hospital.
All roads (there are 2 in total for the island's one vehicle to choose from) lead to the harbour at the little village of Chipyela where a visit to St Peters Cathedral is a must. Set above a busy traditional fishing harbour and in the middle of a simple African Village, the cathedral is impressive and incongruous in equal measure-a similar effect to driving through the most desolate part of the Namib desert to find the ornate Bavarian spires of Luderitz or seeing the huge manor house at Shiwa Ng'andu rise from the bush of Northern Zambia. Built at the turn of the 19th Century by the Universities Mission to Central Africa, it is a remarkable building which measures more than 100 meters. The crucifix above the pulpit is made out of a branch of the tree under which David Livingstone's heart is buried. The choir stalls are carved out of soapstone with elaborate designs. The sun shining through the large stained glass casts a beautiful light.
At the church we were met by the delightfully eccentric Mr. Vincent who is in his late 80's and gives you a tour of the cathedral gratis although as we found out, is not averse to a small gratuity if you have enjoyed his company-which you will. He took us all the way up into the bell tower and on to the roof for a wonderful view of the island. Strolling through the sparsely vegetated grounds of the cathedral we came across a host of crimson-rumped waxbills-this very rare bird is seen occasionally on the mainland but is best seen here on the island. When we had finished in the cathedral we wandered towards the busy beach full of fishermen cleaning their nets and as if by magic Swinson, the Kaya Mawa boatman arrived to take us back to the lodge. This 20 minute ride took the best part of an hour as we stopped off at 2 gorgeous little coves en route for a swim and a cold beer.
What a morning!!!
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Kaya Mawa Lodge - Likoma Island Malawi
Likoma Island is the larger of two small islands situated in the far north of Lake Malawi, well over on the east of the Lake and very close to the Mozambique coastline. To visit the island is to step back in time. Just 17 square kilometres with one small dirt road and two vehicles, the local people survive largely by fishing, and rice and cassava farming. The island has hundreds of huge baobab trees and a number of glorious sandy beaches and rocky coves. The waters are crystal clear throughout the year and the diving and snorkelling is among the best in Lake Malawi.
Kaya Mawa Lodge is situated on the south-western tip of the Island at the head of a crescent-shaped bay, surrounded by mango trees and ancient baobabs.
Translated as �Maybe tomorrow� in the local Tonga dialect the lodge uses the stunning natural surroundings of beach, rock, island and lake to create a lodge of unique character, imagination and very special ambience. With no machinery available on the island, Kaya Mawa Lodge was built entirely by hand, in partnership with the local community. It consists of ten stone and teak-framed thatched cottages set into a granite headland. There is a honeymoon house tucked away on its own private island that is reached by boat or a wooden walkway. Each cottage faces the lake and has a 7- by 6-foot mahogany four-poster bed, a shower, a sunken stone bathtub and a loo with a view. The view from the shower in the honeymoon suite defies description. All the cottages have private terraces with direct access to the water and some can only be reached by walkways built over the lake.
The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity but enough activities are on offer to keep guests busy. Scuba (including Padi diving courses), snorkelling, swimming, sailing and visits to the local villages are part of the experience. Day trips to Mozambique can be arranged. Access is by air or by boat.
Climate
Likoma is the driest part of Malawi and also one of the hottest.
January/February/March: Hot days with rain often on the afternoon. The whole island becomes very lush and green and the views are fantastic. The rain dampens down the dust and puts out the fires of the late dry season and provides sparkling air and wonderful vistas of the forested shores of nearby Mozambique.
April/May: Dry warm days and pleasant cool nights with light breezes.
June/July/August: Dry with warm days and cool nights and occasional strong winds.
September/October: Hot to very hot days with warm nights.
November/December: Hot to very hot days-warn nights, perhaps some early light rain.
Accommodation
Kaya Mawa�s main building is situated high on a rocky promontory overlooking the lake and has three rooms on the lower western side of the promontory. On the long sweeping beach below and to the west of the main promontory there are another two chalets. At the far end of the beach a good 10 minute walk from the main building and set high on the rocks overlooking the bay are another two chalets. There are two rooms on their own rocky outcrops to the east of the main building. The honeymoon island is a good 50 metres out into the lake depending on prevailing water levels and is accessed by boat or by swimming.
Each room has: Raised four poster mahogany bed, sunken bath, shower and loo, fans, soaps and shampoos, outside seating area, insect repellent.
Camp
On the main promontory there is a bar, dining room and rock pool.
Activities
The stunning setting of the lodge and the unique comfort of the rooms means that many guests choose to make relaxation their main activity but enough activities are on offer to keep guests busy:
-Walking or biking around the island
-Swimming and snorkelling
-Diving Courses
-Motorized Watersports - Waterskiing, tube riding and wake snaking are offered as well as fishing trips.
-Sailing Safaris - the lodge has a small wooden skip for journeys around the island.
-Excursions to Mozambique - longer trips by motor or sailing boat to the wonderful beaches of nearby Mozambique can be arranged as well as overnight trips to Nkwichi Lodge and the Manda Wilderness area.
Suggested daily activity schedule
As this is not a game destination the activity schedule each day is very flexible. Some guests like to keep active all day long, some want to do nothing but relax on the beach and most want a balance between the two. Each day we chat to our guests and find out what they want to do from the activities available and then choose the correct schedule for them.
Meal schedule
Breakfast is usually between 07h00and 08h00 and comprises fruits, cereals, juices, tea, coffee and Full English with choice of eggs.
Lunches between 12h30 and 13h30 - usually light with fresh salads, quiches, fruit etc.
Dinners are 3 courses and served around 20h00.
Meal times are totally flexible and are set around activities-not the other way around.
Electricity and water
During daylight hours the lodge has mains electricity and this changes to solar lighting in the evening. The hot water system is from wood burning boilers-this wood comes from Mozambique and is an income generating community project. The suppliers earn income and this goes towards the upkeep of reforestation woodlots.
Extras payments
Extras can be paid for in either US$, Euros, South African Rand, British Pounds or Malawi Kwacha cash. There are no credit card facilities.
Flying times
Based on a Cessna 206 or similar, the flying times to and from Likoma are approximately as follows:
Lilongwe: 60 minutes
Chelinda Lodge Nyika: 35 minutes
Mvuu Lodge: 90 minutes
Airstrip Details
12 05 South
34 44 East
Elevation:1600 feet
Length: 800 metres
Drinks
Drinks are not included in the tariff and need to be paid for on departure.
Laundry
Laundry is free of charge and can usually be delivered back the same day.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Safari Field Reports
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The reports from Botswana's Chobe sightings are great as usual. Guests were fortunate enough to see wild dogs, as well as a herd of Roan antelope. Their bird list was well into the 40's even though it was only their first day. The second day was as lively as the first and they had some amazing encounters with Chobes many elephants.
Linyanti also proved to be fantastic - we came across loads of Roan antelope , Giraffe, Zebra, Warthog as well as Hippo's. We watched a baby elephant splashing around in the mud having a great time. Great photo opportunities for the guests.
We also managed to find two pairs of lusty lions. The first pair were gracious enough to let us watch them in the act, whilst the other two seemed to be having a bit of a lovers tiff and were giving each other the cold shoulder.
That evening we took a small night drive, and managed to get a brief look at a leopard who was running with a baboon in its mouth. That following day we went for a mekoro canoe excursion, where we saw many letchwe, sable bill storks, and elephants. The canoe trip is always a big highlight for vacationtechnician guests and something different to being in the vehicle.
Back at camp we caught sight of two lions lying on their side, they allowed us to watched them for a while, but then got a little irratated by us and got up and began roaring, the booming shock wave left our guests speechless and wide eyed.
At Kaparota, we decided to leave the vehicle behind and go for a walk, we found a dead buffalo accompanied by several lion paw prints. That night we saw quite a few hyena and also the kubu pride who didn't do to much of anything except lounge around. The next day we came across a massive herd of buffalo which could have easily totaled up to 1000 individuals. That evening we found a genet that was in full view, as well as leopard, probably the nicest few of elephant that we had throughout the entire trip, it was a truly awesome sight.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
.::. vacationtechnician.com = conserving the most enchanting wilderness chill out retreats on Earth .::.
Parts of Namibia's exotic Skeleton Coast could be submerged by the end of the century and its rich marine life badly hit by global warming, a report by the southern African country's environment and tourism ministry warns.
The 1,500-kilometre (937-mile) Namibian coastline -- which hosts tourist hotspots because of its unspoilt beauty and wildlife -- is dotted with ghostly shipwrecks, a testimony to the unforgiving Atlantic stretch that gives it its name.
A 130-page report, released last week for the UN's Framework Convention on Climatic Change, painted a bleak picture on the impact of global warming on the coastline and on the Benguela current running alongside.
"The cold Benguela current will experience temperature rises due to global warming, thus negatively impacting on the fisheries industry," it said.
"Over the last decade, a trend of warmer sea surface temperatures has been noted over the northern Benguela region," the report said, noting that temperatures could rise between two to six degrees Celsius (36 to 43 Fahrenheit) in Namibia by 2100.
"Marine biodiversity may also be impacted if there are shifts in the Benguela current system," it added.
Marine life off the coast rely heavily on the nutrient-rich upwellings of the cold Benguela current. "Any changes in the frequency, timing or distribution of upwelling would influence production", according to the report.
The sea level will have risen between 30 and 100 centimetres in 96 years from now, the report said "certainly inundating significant parts of Walvis Bay, Namibia's main port. The coastal towns of Swakopmnund and Henties Bay are also vulnerable".
According to marine scientist Jean-Paul Roux, the periodic warming of the Benguela System, called the Benguela Nino Events, has increased.
"During the 1995 Benguela Nino event, unusual mortalities of sardine, horse mackerel were noted ... the Namibian stock of Cape anchovy virtually disappeared while then sardine stock was reduced to its lowest level on record following this event", Roux wrote in a recent publication titled "Namibia's Marine Environment".
Fishing and fish processing are one of the former German colony's major export earners contributing to 10 percent of the gross domestic product.
Joe McGann, climate change coordinator in Namibia's environment and tourism ministry said that "even without the threat of climate change, Namibia faces absolute water scarcity by the year 2020."
"Namibia is highly dependent on its natural resources such as fish, minerals, agricultural land and wildlife", McGann added. "The variable rainfall, frequent droughts and reliance on subsistence agriculture combine to make Namibia highly vulnerable to climate change".
The Benguela current, which runs along the west coast of southern Africa, brings cold water from the South Pole. The current greatly reduces the amount of rainfall that falls along coastal areas, resulting in semi-arid and desert vegetation in the western coastal plains.
Significant resources are required to pre-empt or adapt to potential negative climatic effects, said Deputy Environment and Tourism Minister Petrus Ilonga Monday at the launch of the report.
"Climate change is not of our (Namibia's) making and we cannot be expected to bear the costs of this global problem alone."
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Namibia's Skeleton Coast is one of our planet's most beautiful places and is now host to one of our finest safaris. Over much of the past decade, access to this private area within the National Park has been restricted.
However, in April 2000 we opened our 12-bedded, luxury tented camp and we can now offer superb 4 or 5 day fly-in safaris to this incredible area, with guaranteed departures every Wednesday and Saturday.
Close on 300,000 hectares (660,000 acres) of the National Park has been set aside as an exclusive safari experience for those who want to really get away! It is wild, desolate and uninhabited - and stunningly beautiful.
The Benguela Current brings cool, plankton and fish~rich waters all the way from Antarctica and moderates the temperatures in the region. Mean temperatures year round vary from a high of 28� C (82�F) to a low of 10�C (50�F). Summers are incredibly mild, even though we are in the desert!
The cool ocean air meets the warm desert air and nearly every morning mists cover the coastline, bringing life~sustaining moisture to the desert's fauna and flora.
This is a safari that will rival anything in Africa for those who enjoy the excitement of wild and remote places.
The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has received over 50 proposals from its member governments to adjust the rules governing the international trade in various wildlife species.
The proposals offer detailed arguments on how to improve the conservation and sustainable use of the African elephant, the minke whale, the great white shark, various tropical birds, trees and orchids, numerous turtle species, the southern white rhinoceros, two species of crocodile, the bald eagle, several medicinal plants and many other species.
Governments will accept, reject or adjust these proposals for amending the CITES Appendices at a conference in Bangkok from 2 - 14 October. These Appendices list species that are at risk and whose import and export is controlled through a permit system (Appendix II) and species that are already endangered and that may not be commercially traded (Appendix I).
The African elephant is a regular feature of the CITES agenda.
Following a 1989 ban on the international ivory trade, CITES permitted some one-off sales in 1997 and again in 2002. The 2002 sales from Botswana (20 tonnes), Namibia (10 tonnes) and South Africa (30 tonnes) have not yet occurred pending the establishment of baseline data on poaching and populations.
Namibia has now submitted a proposal for an annual export quota of two tonnes of ivory. Both Namibia and South Africa are proposing to trade elephant leather commercially in addition to ivory.
Japan is recommending that three populations of minke whale be transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II. CITES currently forbids any international trade in whale products. Madagascar and Australia propose adding the great white shark to Appendix II. No sharks were included in Appendix II until two years ago, when the whale shark and the basking shark were added.
Marine and freshwater turtles and land tortoises are under various degrees of threat around the world, and many are already listed in the CITES Appendices. Six additional species are now proposed for inclusion in Appendix II. They are the soft-shelled pig-nosed turtle, McCord's snake-necked turtle, the Malayan flat-shelled turtle, the Malayan snail-eating turtle, the Asian soft-shelled turtle and the flyriver turtle. In addition, the Malagasy spider tortoise is being proposed for Appendix I.
Sea animals on the agenda in Bangkok will include the humphead wrasse (a large and valuable reef fish occurring in the Indo-Pacific), south-east Asia's Irrawaddy dolphin and the Mediterranean date mussel. Birds will include the yellow-crested cockatoo, the lilac-crowned parrot, the peach-faced lovebird and the painted bunting.
One of the new proposals recommends transferring the African lion from Appendix II to Appendix I. Other proposals call for easing the trade restrictions on the bald eagle and the southern white rhinoceros and introducing the permit system. The US proposes removing the bobcat, now on Appendix II, from the CITES regime.
Three proposals concern crocodiles. Cuba proposes to transfer the Cuban crocodile from Appendix I to Appendix II. Namibia would like to do the same for its national population of the Nile crocodile. Zambia, whose population of the Nile crocodile is already listed on Appendix II, is now requesting an annual export quota of no more than 548 wild specimens.
Madagascar proposes adding the leaf-necked geckos and the coloured serpent considered the country's most spectacular snake to CITES via Appendix II. Kenya proposes the same listing for two species of viper.
The plant proposals would introduce Appendix II permit requirements for Asia's commercially valuable agarwood and ramin trees plus a number of Asian trees belonging to the Taxus genus. Also on the agenda are an orchid from Colombia and a cactus from southern Africa.
The CITES Secretariat will now review and analyse all of the proposals it has received. It will publish its preliminary technical and scientific assessment of the proposals together with its preliminary recommendations in early June.
Thousands of species around the world are endangered as a result of human activities such as habitat destruction, poaching, over-harvesting, and pollution.
CITES was adopted in 1973 to address the threat posed by just one of these activities: unsustainable international trade. To date, some 166 countries have become Parties to the treaty, making it one of the world's most important agreements on species conservation and non-detrimental use of wildlife.
Even after commercial fishing and the timber industry are set aside, the international trade in wildlife is big business, estimated to be worth billions of dollars annually and to involve more than 350 million plant and animal specimens every year. Unregulated international trade can push threatened and endangered species over the brink, especially when combined with habitat loss and other pressures.
CITES accords varying degrees of protection to some 30,000 plant and animal species depending on their biological status and the impact that international trade may have upon them. Appendix I contains fewer than 600 animal species and a little more than 300 plant species, whereas Appendix II covers over 4,100 animal species and 28,000 plant species seven times as many animal species and ninety times more plant species. Appendix III, which includes species that are protected within the borders of a member country, lists over 290 species.
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Western Serengeti (Grumeti River Camp) (6/9/2004)
Plan a Great Migration Safari with vacationtechnician.com
Our trip from Grumeti River Camp to the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge was slowed somewhat by the mass of the migration right on the road around Seronera in the Serengeti. The majority of them were feeding and only a few lines were heading steadily west. We proceeded to Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and on the way saw many herds of zebra, Grants & Thomsons gazelles, hyenas and a herd of about 40 elephant....
More here: The Great Migration Serengetti National Park Updates
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and peaceful retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense.
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Safari Field Reports
About The VacationTechncian Company
June 1, 2004
DeBeers Diamonds: Last Straw for Botswana Bushman?
The court case that could decide the future of the Gana and Gwi
Bushmen will be held in July this year. Two hundred and forty-eight
Bushmen and Bakgalagadi are taking Botswana to court over the
government's forced eviction of them and their families from their
ancestral land, in what could be a test case for Bushman rights
across southern Africa.
Sign the Petition to support the Bushmen.
The case will begin on 4 July with an 'inspection in loco' of the
resettlement centres, and of the Bushman communities in the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve to which nearly 200 Bushmen have returned
despite government opposition. Fearing that their voices will not be
heard, as has been the case in previous government-led tours, the
Bushmen are calling for observers from the local and international
media to observe the 'inspection'.
The Bushmen want the government to recognise their rights to return
to their land and live there without fear of further eviction, and to
hunt and gather freely. The original case was dismissed on a
technicality in April 2002. The Bushmen appealed, and won the right
to have the case re-heard on its merits.
Note: Wildlife department permits are required to enter the Central
Kalahari Game Reserve. Entry to the resettlement centres outside the
reserve is unrestricted.
Permits are also required for filming. In the past, film makers have
sometimes been prevented from filming by the police, even when they
had the required permit.
For further information, please contact Kali Mercier at +44 20 7687
8731 or email [email protected]
--
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0) 20 7687 8701
General enquiries: [email protected]
http://www.survival-international.org
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Vacationtechnician personalized luxury adventure travel transports you to the most exquisite wilderness and chill out retreats on Earth. Conserving rare biodiversity through low volume tourism; our aim is your indulgence -at no one's expense. Plan now to be assured a rejuvenating escape at a restful pace -to an unspoiled gem in the purest sense...
The Weapon of Mass Destruction?
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