Wild Safari

A T R AV E L & C O N S E RVAT I O N M AG A Z I N E F O R A F R I C A’ S W I L D

Wild Safari ISSUE

mind our pride

NO.01

SEPTEMBER

W H AT A F R I C A I S D O I N G T O D E A L WITH LION-HUMAN CONFLICT A N D E N S U R E T H E S U R V I VA L O F BOTH SPECIES.

2020

A F R I C A’ S UNIQUE SPECIES & THEIR L O C AT I O N S S p e c i a l Tr a i t s o f Animals In ‘The Cradle’ Focus: LIONS

FIRST WILD ADVENTURE W h a t Yo u N e e d To K n o w B e f o r e Ta k i n g T h a t M a i d e n Tr i p To1 Wild A f rSafari ica

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Of All The Beauties Africa Has Born, None Come Close To Her People.

Image: Ian Ingalula 1 Wild Safari

Wild Safari team

editor’s

Editor-In-Chief

Alexander Ngaira

H

Editor

Mariana Chokaa Writers/ Features Editor/ Contributors

Wild Safari team Photography

Rapheal Nathaniel Fifaliana Joy Herbert Bieser Tamás Juhász Squirrel_photos Herbert Aust Jean van der Meulen Sharon Ang Schliff Rico Lotze Skeeze Art Director

Alexander Ngaira Contact

wildsafarike@gmail.com

note ello all, from the team and contributors at Wild Safari. We welcome you to our premier issue.

We are East Africa’s fully independent magazine and we intend to focus on our outdoor wildlife adventure landscape without ignoring our ecological and conservation pursuits.

While our current pandemic issue may have temporarily slowed human life down, animal life, so far as we know, has continued to endure in the wild. Some sources have even suggested that it has thrived. These claims however at this point appear conflicting and are yet to be verified.

We hope to study the circumstances and existing data, if any, around this phenomenon and either verify or dismiss it while we chart our way forward as a race. Stories are varied in protected areas as in some cases, conservation efforts rely on tourism, which has been greatly hampered by the pandemic.

While it was not our intention for this issue, we intend to celebrate not only man’s resilience but also the environment’s dominance and ability to replenish itself in the face of a worldwide interference. We will study man’s role as well as continue to celebrate the special place that wildlife holds in our daily lives and our collective endeavor as a young race. Let us all celebrate life in all its shapes and sizes. Let us conserve it in all its glory and let us study it and uncover its secrets.

Welcome aboard.

Alexander Ngaira.

Editor-In-Chief

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In my culture, death is not the end. It’s more of a stepping-off point.

Chadwick Boseman 1976 - 2020 3 Wild Safari

Contents

TA B L E O F

Entertainment

14.

Food: About A Good Roast

16.

Food: Recipes

18.

Different Crowns

22.

Our Pride

26.

The COVID effect Jacinda Ardern shines in her management of a crisis during an election year.

14

12. Da 5 Bloods: Our review of one of Chadwick Boseman’s last movies.

The Cradle of Life: What you need to know about various African Destinations before you venture

30.

A Poem for Africa

32.

Spurs Of Endless Beauty

34.

Part Of The Pride

38.

US President Trump wades crisis after another, from a series of disparaging books to a revelation of downplaying the pandemic.

Kenyan officials shine in handling the pandemic at the offset, latter issues notwithstanding.

China unable to shake off the perception from a wide range of people word-wide, that it is primarily to blame for the pandemic.

COVID & Sports: The pandemic has had a layered effect on sports the world over.

From the loss of entire seasons to games being played with little or no fans. This was compounded by protests against racial injustice which began in the USA and spread to various parts of the world, further charging an already strained sports scene. Loss of life among political and sporting bigwigs has brought into view the seriousness of the disease.

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18. Simple Classic Recipes Take some time off during this season of limited movement and learn to cook some classic meals

26. Our Pride The precarious place that lions are in and what needs to be done to ensure their survival for generations

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Wild Stories

A

s a teenager, a friend told me about a movie called “The Ghost and The Darkness�, and I was immediately intrigued by the name alone. That changed to absolute horror once I watched the movie itself. For months, I looked at lions with lots of fear and suspicion; almost horror. Of course, this eventually faded and I went back to my usual respect for them but with a new perspective. Lions are not handsome cultured singing cartoons with cute and cuddly nephews. They are wild animals; territorial, vicious and apex predators.

An even more horrifying aspect of this story is that, while the movie was fiction, it was very much based on a very real, very traumatizing series of events.

The Ghost The

Darkness Wild Safari

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Wild Stories

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Wild Stories

The 9th.

The Genesis Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson was an appointed project manager by the then colonial British government. The project: A railway crossing Kenya, whose purpose was the mass movement of goods from the Kenyan coast, through the mainland, to Uganda, seeing as Uganda is landlocked. A camp had been set up for the thousands of workers, mostly Indian, along the determined railway site, extending several miles.

This scene, like the stage being set for a sadistic horror play, serves as our backdrop for the dark happenings to come. So it begins.

The darkness to come A few days after Lt. Col. Patterson arrived, workers began to disappear and were seen to have been killed off by what was at the time, an unknown predator. This went on for several months and as it turned out, there were actually two lions; maneless males with a high appetite for human flesh. Even when the killings seem to reduce and even stop for a while, there were still rumors of attacks from surrounding areas. After a while, they returned.

More vicious than before and with an even greater appetite. Almost as if they were making up for lost time. The attacks became a daily affair. This made a lot of workers flee for their lives, causing the project to stall. Something had to give.

The trap Patterson, in his decisiveness, hatched a plan that he at the time, thought would work. Desperate times had called and his extraordinary solutions were equally extreme. He sought higher ground in the trees, preparing an ambush with several Indian soldiers. So near, yet so far. The plan failed, several times and with casualties. It was almost as if the lions were a step ahead. But a step towards success was about to be taken.

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In December, 1898, Patterson’s efforts yielded fruit. The painful grunt of one of the lions indicated that at last, he had struck gold. Only one problem. No corpse. Not only was the lion still alive but IT was now hunting him as if in a vengeful act of pettiness. The gun he had used barely slowed it down so he sought some more powerful reinforcement. The beast could be killed if the weapon was powerful enough. Finally, probably injured after all by the initial shot, the lion had become less stealthy and an opportunity presented itself. He shot it on the shoulder, from close enough to be sure, that this time, it would be permanent. It wasn’t. At least that is what appeared to be the case. The lion scampered off, leaving a terrified Patterson who seemed to have run out of options. But the worst of a bad situation had come to pass. The beast had bled out and quietly died in the dead of the night; its corpse was found in the morning. The 9th of December, a glimmer of hope for the coming end of what seemed to be a horror classic.

One down, one to go. The ghost had been felled.

Now they only needed to end the darkness.

A few days later, the second lion, seemingly stronger than the first, was ambushed as well and successfully shot. But again, it simply went into hiding. It was only slowed days later after what resembled a scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day - where the antagonist was invulnerable to bullets. The villain, quite simply, would not die; not even after two shots. It simply took off, albeit visibly injured. When it as found the next day, three more shots felled it and three more, to the head, did the trick. The mighty second beast was finally killed. NINE shots for one beast. The darkness FINALLY, truly was over.

Samburu Warriors Image: Alex Strachan 9 Wild Safari

Entertainment

Best Movies 2020

The Old Guard

Tenet

This is a slightly different take on the superhero genre, which explores a group of nigh-immortals,who engage in noble work over generations. With a web of intrigues involving secret army agents and government bodies, The Old Guard is refreshing.

A story of engineered secret agents, Tenet tells the story of The Protagonist and his journey through a series of unexpected events filled with technological twists and turns. Tenet is a well assembled, fast paced psychological action thriller.

Starring Kiki Layne, Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood

Director Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

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Da 5 Bloods A story of friendship and mischief during the Vietnam war where five friends, Paul, Otis, Eddie, Melvin and their leader Norman are tasked to recover and preserve precious cargo property of the CIA. They however decide to take possession of the cargo but end up losing it in an unfortunate series of events which results in a death.

Fast forward to the present day and the news of the site being uncovered causes the now four friends, much older, to set out on a mission to recover the cargo. In a tale of tragedy, regret and trauma, Da 5 Bloods face Starring Chadwick Boseman, several dark events in Delroy Lindo, Jonathan their new quest Majors culminating in the telling Director Spike Lee ventures of today’s social Wild Rating and political realities.

Best on

Best on

Best on

Best on

Extraction

Atlanta

Mulan

Grown Ish

A story of the Indian peninsula's criminal underworld and a kidnapping that sets the stage for a fierce battle between two criminal groups. A mercenary is cast into this war as he is tasked to rescue the victim.

A destitute man, Earn, and his attempt to rescue himself and his reputation in the eyes of the mother of his daughter. Living with his parents and girlfriend, Earn sees a promising upcoming opportunity.

A story of a girl with more ambition than the achievements that her conservative parents want for her, Mulan is one of the pioneer stories of culture shifts. A brilliant take on individual sovereignty.

This spin-off of Black Ish follows the life of the family’s first born, Zoey, as she navigates through the funny but often trying journey of budding adulthood.

College life proves to be more wayward than expected.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda

Starring Donald Glover, Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield

Starring Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Tzi Ma, Jason Scott Lee

Starring Yara Shahidi, Deon Cole, Trevor Jackson

Director Sam Hargrave

Producer Donald Glover

Director Niki Caro

Producer Yara Shahidi

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Entertainment

We Can’t Wait

Golden Oldie

Black Widow Ever since we got our first look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of Black Widow in Iron Man II, we have been amazed by Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal. The former dark agent, turned super heroine femme-fatale, currently an expert hand-to-hand tactician working for the counter-terrorist organization, S.H.I.E.L.D. is everything we could have imagined her to be.

Her arc has taken her from being a faithful, efficient S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in Iron Man II, to being a friend and big sister figure who struggles to cover her emotions for the sake of holding the team together and inspiring hope. We saw her display guilt over her past in Avengers 2012, and watched her display her true valor when she went out of her way to make the ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame in what, for many, was a heart-wrenching moment. Now we get to see her past and explore the foundations of the phenomenon that is Black Widow. We also get to see the MCU debut of one of Marvel Comic’s most intriguing characters: Taskmaster.

Starring Scarlett Johansson,Florence Pugh, David Harbour,O-T Fagbenle,William Hurt,Ray Winstone,Rachel Weisz Director Cate Shortland Wild Rating TBD

The Ghost and The Darkness This live action re-imagining of the events of The Man-Eaters of Tsavo is a classic Suspense/ Natural-Horror/Adventure-Drama, that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Released in 1996, it tells the horrifying tale of Lt. Colonel John Henry Patterson, an engineer’s stay in Kenya, where he was sent to get a British colonial government project back on track. The project being the construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway. His arrival is met by chilling rumors of disappearances of workers which are proven true in just a few days.

He is told by the site Doctor about lion attacks that have stalled the project because the workers fear for their lives. After the successful shooting of a lion, he gains respect from the workers, but this soon fades as the attacks do not seem to stop. This breeds even more fear and mistrust which leads to the project stalling again. When a request for additional troops is denied, Patterson decides to hatch a plan to kill the lions.

This results in probably the whole movie’s most harrowing and memorable scenes. The hospital attack. Patterson’s attempt to lure the 2 lions to their death results in them targeting the hospital that had been set up for the injured and sick workers. The resulting deaths from this attack paint a dull, hopeless and desperate mood over the whole film from that point on, up until success is later achieved after a few more failures. An all round legendary movie in our opinion. Critics gave it an average score and its financial performance could be better but we here at Wild Safari absolutely love The Ghost and The Darkness. This issue’s golden oldie.

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World News

Jacinda Ardern’s COVID mettle.

Jacinda Ardern, the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand has shown formidable leadership during the pandemic and in regard to general leadership issues within New Zealand’s territory.Her brilliance has led to her opening huge polling gaps between her and Judith Collins, the leader of New Zealand’s National Party. Her handling of the pandemic led to New Zealand having no new infections for months before it was reintroduced to the country by foreigners.

Not the best year for The Donald As if the COVID Pandemic wasn’t bad enough, The US President has had a somewhat disastrous past two months. First came tell-all revelations by a family member in her book, then another book by a former ally and lawyer, revealing personal details about his character. All this, followed by audio recordings revealing that he intentionally downplayed the severity of the pandemic back in February. It is a slippery period considering he is seeking re-election.

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China unable to shake COVID tag.

Kenyans; CS Mutahi Kagwe, Governor Charity Ngilu And MP Babu Owino praised internationally.

The Wall Street Journal back in April recognized a few countries and leader for their stand-out efforts in dealing with the global pandemic.

Among those, was Kenya’s own Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe. According to them, he exuded calmness and made the necessary emphasis on the facts of the disease that at the time had made relatively minimal inroads to the continent. His handling of the crisis was termed “a breath of fresh air”.

Later in the year but still on a related note, another Kenyan was also recognized by the international community. Babu Owino, Embakasi East MP was also recognized by the United Nations and the Voice of America (VOA) for teaching students online amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ever since the breakout of COVID-19, China has had a nightmare of a damagecontrol experience; having to fight multiple fires. A resurgence of the illness has seen them have to re-isolate a whole region, and this in addition to the piling international pressure on China to take some amount of responsibility for the pandemic’s breakout in the first place. China has also been accused of manipulating the numbers to make it seem as though they are successful in containing it. An accusation that has stuck. We wait to see how well China navigates these rocky seas in the coming months.

Sports News

UFC’s series of unfortunate events

The COVID pandemic, having ravaged through the world’s collective multi-sector economy, did not spare the sports we know and love. The NBA and other sports were affected by another issue. Race and social justice protests and triggered by the murder of a black man, George Floyd, by four policemen. This caused a downing of tools by some teams and players but due to the intervention of opinion leaders, the players chose to resume and instead use their platforms to communicate their message and force change.

Ever since COVID’s impact began to be felt in America’s professional sports sector, Dana White, UFC’s president, has put on a brave, almost defiant face in the eye of the pandemic’s storm.

Since the mainland hindered crowded events, Dana had initially planned an event on an island which had come to be known as “fight island”. A mysterious off-shore location where fighters could go about their business un-bothered. This however fell through and UFC ended up being held at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. It was however still missing the much anticipated Khabib vs Tony cursed bout that has now been canceled for a record 5th time. Instead Tony faced Justin Gaethje and lost by bloody TKO. At this point, it doesn’t seem like we will ever see the bout, with Gaethje, now interim champion, expected to face Khabib next. Khabib oh his part is back in training after grieving the loss of his father, Abdulmanap Numargomedov. A tragedy that brought the MMA world to unite in grief.

Liverpool’s bitter-sweet season

Olympics 2020 postponed to 2021

You have undoubtedly had the whole “It all began when Liverpool were winning the league ...” joke. Liverpool’s English Premier League run was temporarily halted by the suspension of the league due to the pandemic. According to EPL’s site at the time: “It was acknowledged that the Premier League will not resume at the beginning of May – and that the 2019/20 season will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so.”

Liverpool however needed just a handful of points to ensure they had the league in the bag for the first time since 1990. They did so and lifted the most prestigious trophy in the UK, in front of an empty stadium.

The Tokyo Olympics, 2020, are officially the Tokyo Olympics 2021. They will be held on the 23rd of July, to the 8th of August with the Paralympics following from the 24th of August to the 5th of September. These delays display the damaging effects of the COVID 19 pandemic and the economic and socio-political strains of handling a world wide stalling of events. Tokyo Officials insist it will go ahead with or without fans and they say they will tolerate no further delays.

Sports, COVID and Justice

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Wild Food

About A Good

Roast

What is it about a nice grill on a warm afternoon with family and friends? Just catching up; nothing serious. Celebration and introductions with the smell of marinade in the not so far distance and cold drinks being served by that one uncle who promises every graduate a job? What is it that is so unifying about a solid braai that seems to bond human beings who barely meet over long periods of time?

In my days in college, we had a group of shantis near our campus which had somehow been spared by the surrounding development of what had by that time become a concrete jungle. In my national language we call them kibanda. Vibanda for plural.

Every weekday, as lunch approached, like clockwork, there would be a signal. A call to action. Smoke. The sweet signaling sensation of smoke from kibanda barbecues was probably the most unifying call throughout the neighborhood. Professionals, casuals, students and anyone who just happened to be in the neighborhood congregated at their nearest cluster of vibanda. Like a huge extended family, we would all ask for ‘the usual’. The menus were usually very small, consisting of mainly barbecue beef, chicken, in rare occasions goat meat, one or two vegetables and a starch which would usually be corn based (ugali) or wheat based (chapati). The food was ALWAYS fresh, because the day’s stock would barely make it past lunch hour, on the count of the massive appetites of myself and my comrades from different walks of life. Lunch was heavenly. Nothing fancy. No sous-chef, no violin, no special seats. Just laughter, communion and smoke. An every-man’s paradise. I could swear I constantly heard the African version of Garth Brooks’ ‘Low Places’ playing in the background.

Since those days are long gone, we all have new memories to make.

Our lives may be different now, but this is only temporary. When we are able to, again, we must make new memories. New episodes in this winding drama of our lives around the grill, the smoke and the laughs.

Send a signal, invite your comrades, laugh a little. Here is to memories made in the smoke and smell of a good roast; a bonding and togetherness that remain inexpensive yet priceless. To the power of the braai ... Hear, hear.

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Wild Food

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Wild Food

Recipes Ta k e t i m e o f f y o u r d a i l y h u s t l e and make yourself a hot meal.

Choose from

Classic Fish & Chips

Ingredients •

beef dripping or oil, for deep frying (beef dripping is used in the traditional method and gives a far better flavour, but sunflower or vegetable oil will work just as well)

For the fish •

4x175g/6oz thick cod or haddock fillets, taken from the head end rather than the tail end of the fish

•

225g/8oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

•

salt and freshly ground black pepper

•

300ml/10fl oz fridge-cold lager

For the chips •

6-8 large floury potatoes, such as maris piper, king edward, desiree (depending on how hungry you are)

Method

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1.

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and preheat the dripping or oil to 120C/250F.

2.

For the chips, peel the potatoes and cut into whatever size you prefer. Wash well in cold water, drain and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Put the potatoes into the fryer and allow them to fry gently for about 8-10 minutes, until they are soft but still pale. Check they're cooked by piercing with a small, sharp knife. Lift out of the pan and leave to cool slightly on grease-proof paper.

3.

Increase the heat of the fryer to 180C/350F.

4.

Season the fish and dust lightly with flour; this enables the batter to stick to the fish.

5.

To make the batter, sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and whisk in the lager to give a thick batter, adding a little extra beer if it seems over-thick.

It should be the consistency of very thick double cream and should coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and thickly coat 2 of the fillets with the batter.

Carefully place in the hot fat and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan, drain and sit on a baking sheet lined with grease-proof paper, then keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining 2 fillets in the same way.

6.

Once the fish is cooked, return the chips to the fryer and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Shake off any excess fat and season with salt before serving with the crispy fish. If liked, you can serve with tinned mushy peas and bread and butter, for the authentic experience!

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Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients For the ribs •

2 racks pork spare ribs

•

1 tsp black peppercorns

•

3 bay leaves

•

small bunch flatleaf parsley

•

1 onion, roughly chopped

•

1 carrot, cut into chunks

Method 1.

For the ribs, place the ribs in a large saucepan with the peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley, onion and carrot. Cover with water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1½ hours.

2.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

For the sauce

3.

For the sauce, put all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

•

175g/6oz tomato ketchup

4.

•

150g/5oz chipotle chilli ketchup

Remove the ribs from the water, dip them into the sauce and place onto a roasting tray.

•

100ml/3½fl oz dark soy sauce

5.

•

175g/6oz dark muscovado sugar

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, basting with more of the sauce after 10 minutes.

•

4 tbsp teriyaki sauce

6.

To serve, pile the ribs onto a serving plate.

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Wild Food

Apple Pie

Ingredients For the filling •

5oz golden caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling

•

1 tsp ground cinnamon

•

2 tbsp cornflour

•

600g/1lb 5oz Bramley cooking apples, peeled, cored, sliced

For the pastry •

400g/14oz plain flour, plus extra rolling

•

2 tbsp caster sugar

•

1 lemon, zest only

•

250g/10oz cold butter, cut into cubes

•

1 free-range egg, beaten with 2 tbsp cold water, plus 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

Method

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1.

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and lemon zest into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and stir with a roundbladed knife until the mixture forms a dough.

2.

Set aside one-third of the pastry for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry on a lightly floured surface until the thickness of a pound coin and 5-7cm/2-3in larger than the pie dish. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin and lower it gently into the pie dish.

3.

Press the pastry firmly into the dish and up the sides, making sure there are no air bubbles. Chill the fridge for a few minutes.

4.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180 (fan)/Gas 6. Place a baking tray into the oven to preheat.

5.

For the filling, mix the sugar, cinnamon and cornflour in a large bowl. Stir in the apples.

6.

Place the apple filling into the pie dish, making sure that it rises above the edge. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg.

7.

Roll out the reserved ball of pastry. Cover the pie with the pastry and press the edges together firmly to seal.

Using a sharp knife, trim off the excess pastry, then gently crimp all around the edge. Make a few small holes in the center of the pie with the tip of a knife. Glaze the top with beaten egg.

8.

Lightly knead the pastry trimmings and re-roll. Cut into leaf shapes place all around the edge of the pie, slightly overlapping each other, and glaze with more egg.

Sprinkle the pie with sugar and bake in the center of the oven for 45–55 minutes or golden-brown all over and the apples are tender.

Wild Food

Ingredients

Strawberry Jam Tarts

For the tarts •

Butter, for greasing

•

1 orange, zest only (use a fine zester)

•

100g/3½oz white caster sugar

•

250g/9oz ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry

•

Plain flour, for dusting

For the jam filling •

450g/1lb strawberries, hulls removed, plus extra to serve

•

450g/1lb golden caster sugar

•

1 vanilla pod, split

•

1 tbsp rosewater

•

1 tbsp orange liqueur

•

Clotted cream, to serve

Method 1.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 12-16 hole tart mould with butter.

2.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and sprinkle over the orange zest and white caster sugar.

Transfer to the lowest shelf in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the sugar has melted and coated the orange zest. Remove from the oven and set aside to harden into candied peel.

3.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness. Using a cookie cutter, or an upturned cup, cut discs from the pastry that are slightly bigger than the holes in the prepared tart tray, then press one disc into each of the holes.

4.

For the jam filling, place the strawberries, golden caster sugar, vanilla pod, rosewater and orange liqueur into a pan and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until the strawberries begin to break down. Set aside to cool slightly.

5.

When the strawberry filling mixture has cooled slightly, spoon equal amounts into the center of each pastry case. Then transfer the tarts to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the pastry cases are golden-brown. Remove the tarts from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool.

6.

To serve, place 1-2 strawberry jam tarts into the center of each serving plate. Place a teaspoonful of clotted cream on top of each tart and garnish with the fresh strawberries. Sprinkle over the reserved candied peel.

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General Knowledge

Crowns

Different

Unique features on African lions that set them apart from their cousins from other parts of the world.

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General Knowledge

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General Knowledge

Lion! Panthera Leo. Probably the most popular of the big cats and by far the most recognizable.

Erroneously given the ‘king of the jungle’ moniker which is both false and misleading seeing as lions are neither Kings nor do they live in jungles. There is a suggestion that this misnomer comes from the general look of male lions and how they relate with their females, as well as a past ignorance of lion habitats in western pop culture. That however does not mean they aren’t apex predators. Their habitats are typically Savannah, grasslands, scrubby areas and rocky parts as well. Their societies are composed of groupings called ‘prides’ which are mostly free of any hierarchies. This however does not mean that they are disorganized or unstable, having a fairly very deliberate and effective societal arrangement so as to ensure their survival as a dominant species.

Lions are fierce hunters, with the lionesses being the primary hunters while the males keep their territory. This changes however when it comes to

feeding as the males get to eat first. For clarity, male lions indeed do hunt as well and are as effective as the females in terms of success rates.

Lions have some of the most stark differences between male and female, of any predator. The males are far larger than the females, with proportionally bigger heads and a tuft of hair that extends from just behind their ears towards their back and under their chins and in some cases as far as their belly, almost up to the inner thigh. This feature is called a mane. They vary in size and color and begin to show at about a year old. It is not however unheard of for male lions to be entirely without manes or to have such scarce manes that they are barely noticeable.

Lions currently exist naturally in Africa and to a far smaller extent, Asia. There are commensurately two groupings of Lion, and these are African Lion and Asiatic Lion. There are definite differences in these two groups as highlighted in the image chart below.

Asian Lion

African Lion

Generally smaller than their African brothers.

It has a fairly sparse, darker mane which exposes the ears a lot mire than on the African ones. The most distinguishing physical trait is the fold of skin that runs on the belly of the Asiatic lion from chest to tail.

Generally larger than their Asiatic brothers. Much larger mane of varying colors on different males and no skin fold on the belly. Most importantly, the African male lion comfortably lives in prides that contain several females. Asiatic ones fraternize with females mainly for mating and feeding.

Distribution of Lions Through an avalanche of disasters ranging from environmental changes and direct/indirect human influence, lions have been entirely eliminated in some parts (marked in red) and have been left to literally struggle for survival in only the parts marked in blue. We delve further into this issue in our next chapter, and further into other big cats in future issues.

Panthera

Acinonyx

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Puma

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Reach Out To Us wildsafarike@gmail.com Image: Christel Sagniez 23 Wild Safari

Cover Story

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Cover Story

Our Pride

While we all try to find our space on this planet, some species get squeezed out of their natural habitats and the aftermath is almost always tragic. Either animals end up up venturing into areas newly occupied by humans, or they cower and retreat into an already scarce space. The result of this has been reduction in species numbers due to lessthan-ideal breeding grounds, increase in human-wildlife interaction that has proven dangerous, or both. In Kenya, and Africa as a whole, we have seen both of these situations play out. We have seen economic, diplomatic, criminal and infrastructural issues all play a varying role in how well we are able to preserve our ecology.

The Problem Man and beast have been at conflict over territory for millennia. But man has advanced, in terms of tactical and cognitive ability. Animals for the most part, quite simply have not. This means that in a direct contest with the human race, animals will lose. That might sound simple until you consider what that means to the interdependent nature of the wild and how tampering with that structure might deal long-term harm to the ecosystem.

Some incidents of predators fleeing containment areas like parks and reserves, especially near highly populated areas have been reported. Of note, is predators as high in the chain as lions have been seen in cities as populous as Nairobi. This points to an extreme case of conflict. The main culprit in this particular case is suspected to be large scale human movement into and around restricted ares on the count of infrastructural development. This is an issue whose details have been kept largely under wraps and we wait to see how permanent solutions can be put in place to seal this problem.

Perspective While issues of human animal interaction may be rare in the city, the rural farming communities as well as those who live in small nomadic villages have had lots of conflict with animals. The result of which has severally been loss of animal life and retaliatory attacks on nearby wildlife; most of which are indiscriminate.

From hippos and buffalo being slain for invading farms and destroying crops to predators such as leopards and

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hyenas also losing their lives for preying on flock.

This trend has brought to the surface a previously unattended recurrence of a level of human-animal conflict that needs to be nipped in the bud.

Internationally, several species have not been spared by these issue either. From the seas to the skies and thick forest habitats, none have been spared by invasion of man and the subsequent hostile interactions with animals.

Reality In some parts of Africa, lions are vulnerable. In others they are critically endangered which is tragic because Africa and India remain the only parts of the world that still have lions, those in India only existing within Gir National Park. The tragedy of the species and its status is especially apparent in West Africa. Lions in the countries on this side of the continent have reduced by over 60% in just the last 20 years. The whole region boasts mere 400 or so individuals.

One of the problems with land animals such as lions is that their natural adaptability to their environment is fairly localized. Lions in East Africa’s Savannah for example will not so easily thrive in Northern Africa, the increasingly arid West or the Middle East. This particular evolutionary trait has obviously prevented the reintroduction of lions to these regions by conservationist bodies. Another issue is what people view as large scale neglect of conservation efforts by these governments as well as foreign based conservation bodies. Drastic and widespread increases in human populations also have an adverse effect on lions. Direct habitat encroachment causing reduction in water, shade and hiding spots; direct consumption of animal prey leading to starvation; reduction of breeding opportunities and killing of the lions themselves are all results of uncontrolled human population growth. At this rate, we will see the extinction of this species within a few decades.

East Africa tells a slightly different story with governments and conservationists teaming up to watch over lions in protected areas. This has led to a fairly stable maintenance of lion populations in and around these areas. Not so much in the wild though as lion-human conflicts are reported from time to time. Human encroachment, again, is the culprit here. Lions look for prey, which is scarce, and as a result, they attack livestock owned by nearby nomadic communities. The result of this is

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the predictable retaliation which sometimes means the lions being killed. Thankfully, East Africa’s aforementioned protected areas have fairly held fort. Tsavo, Serengeti and such areas are the most popular of such zones.

It is not all gloom however as South Africa and India has recorded positive movement in terms of lion population growth. With South Africa recording a median increase as high as 12%.

Furthermore, South Africa’s data provides valuable perspective in terms of the human interaction factor previously mentioned. In areas where fencing has been implemented, they registered an impressive 30% increase while in open areas, there was a 10% reduction in animal populations. This reveals the extent to which control of human interaction with lions is vital.

India, in spite of being in a very dangerous spot has actually likewise seen a growth in its lion population, albeit very slow. The Asiatic lion, is a tragic tale of human consumption. Previously roaming from the middle east, to India, there now exist no lions in the wild in any Asian country besides India, in Gir Forest. This area has seen lions grow from 284 in the 90s, to 650 in the late 2010s. This after the restricted zone was commissioned in 1965. The promise that India shows in preservation of a species is however brittle. If a contagion, or a forest fire were to break out, these lions would be extremely vulnerable. We suggest that a duplicate zone be developed as a safe method of preservation. Human interaction still remains the biggest threat to lions. From poaching to encroachment and prey conflict.

The tight rope On paper, simply telling people not to go where lions are, seems logical. In reality, not so much. In the past, some East African governments have attempted to compensate herdsmen for animals lost. This method is hardly sustainable as is harsh penalties on those who often find themselves in conflict with lions. A middle ground, with more comprehensive, sustainable reach must be sought.

Careful elimination of poverty as well as cultural inclusion, participation and considerations must all be explored.

Stiff rules without socio-economic and even political considerations may seem necessary but have in the past proven to be temporary or even counterproductive.

Long live or people; Long live our lions.

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Life

The Cradle of What you should know about Africa before you make that maiden trip.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Pyramids, Egypt's most famous monuments, right up there with the Sphinx, are not isolated. They are actually quite close to a large city within a country that is well occupied by sovereign citizens. Pop culture’s exclusion of humans around this site has created the idea that they are lonely objects. This is a false idea and it has sometimes led to tourists being shock and disappointed.

It’s best to understand the nature of the area before you understand it. It has occupants going about their lives and YOU are the guest. Have a steady plan and lots of tip money. Carry a camera and prepare to be awed.

The Maasai, Kenya No,there aren’t random jumping Maasai men on every Kenyan street. This is more often a display for tourists and/or a cultural event which happens in seclusion. The Maasai are one of Kenya’s oldest occupants and are a brave and fiercely traditional community. This however does not mean that they do not live normal lives, engaging in business and politics like we all do.

They are by-enlarge nomadic and you will most certainly see a young Maasai man with is cattle if you stay in Kenya long enough.

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The West African Sahara The Sahara is a desert that occupies most of North and North-West Africa, right above the tropics and below the Mediterranean. It stretches across several countries and indeed does have animal and human life. Like any extreme weather area, it takes a lot of planning and expertise. Familiarize with local cultures and laws. If you wish to explore these areas, get a local expert/guide.

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The Serengeti, Tanzania There isn’t a movie, a song or a picture that would describe the iconic Serengeti. A beautiful, expansive mass of protected area with a diverse range of animals and plants. No one will believe your experience, if done right. Please accustom yourself with Tanzania and the neighboring Kenya’s laws, should you happen to cross over into Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The Wildebeest Migration happens between these two areas.

Amboseli, Kenya Amboseli is what many Kenyans call a premium Park. Nature seems to have conspired to build an amazing area with animals including but not limited to elephants, zebra, buffalo, lions, giraffe and a lot of antelope. The backdrop being the scenic Mt.Kilimanjaro. Prepare for some sudden wather changes and the time of your life.

Cape Town, South Africa One of South africa’s most scenic cities with an imposing Table Mountain backdrop that is absolutely pictureque.

South Africa has a culture rich community and a historical political scene. Before heading to this beautiful town, accustom yourself with local laws and legal requirements. Otherwise prepare to grapple with the desire to move permanently.

Diani Beach, Kenya Madagascar An Island off Africa’s mainland mass, that is as breathtakingly beautiful as it is diverse.

Madagascar’s people are warm and friendly, it’s land both beach and mountainous and its animals unique, with some species being exclusively Madagascan. These include the Fossa, Giraffe Weevil, Aye-aye and many more. The movie Madagascar, focuses on Lemurs which are a very common animal. The land, beaches, animals and especially people are breathtaking. Carry a big heart and an open mind.

One of the World’s highest ranked beaches, Diani beach is a clear, flat, peaceful beach that stretches a few miles, on Kenya’s South Coast. A beautiful place to ride a camel, take a dip, play a beach game or just sit and take in the beautiful African sun. This beach has several 5 Star hotels right next to it and as such is extremely convenient for tourists.

There is also a nearby airport.

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AFRICA Our sound, our smiles Our walks, our miles Our lands, our homes Our losses, our mourns Our laughs, our times Our treasure, our mines Our skies, our light Our fears, our fright Our hopes, our dreams Our struggles, our means Our deaths, our lives Our people, our hives Our men, our women Our souls, our children Our forests, our land Our help, our hand 31 Wild Safari

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Spurs

Of Endless Beauty

My hike up Mt Longonot that changed my perception of hiking and the mountain itself.

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rowing up in Kenya comes with several perks. One of which, is .. well .. NATURE. You get to see pretty much all there is to be seen. From the hills and valleys to the animals and most importantly, the people.

As a child, I spent a few school vacations in Naivasha. At the time, before the levels of roadside developments had reached its current level, it was an even more beautiful place to either stay or pass through. More zebra by the roadside and a bunch of other animals. There is one thing that always stood out, aside from the lake, and that was, Mt. Longonot, in all her magnificence. You can’t miss it.

Longonot comes from the Maasai word Oloonong'ot, which means "mountains of many spurs" or "steep ridges". And it lives up to its name. It is such a sight to behold. So after many years of passing by it to get to Nairobi or going in the opposite direction, a friend finally managed to convince me, to go UP the mountain. Of Course, by this time I was a full-grown man who had in a way got used to the idea of the mountain, but not really got over the curiosity and mystique that came with it.

The Journey As a group, we decided to go on a hike. I was finally going to climb what had been a mystery for the majority of my life. We left Nairobi, early morning, heading down towards what would end up being perhaps one of my most memorable trips. We had the customary stopover at the viewpoint on the way there so we were a little late to the gate of Mt.Longonot National Park, which is where the mountain is found. (This wasn’t a sarcastic statement.)

A few hellos and outfit checks, some briefs from the rangers, an introduction to the guides, and just like that we were off. I was excited but clearly NOT prepared. You see at the time, I hadn’t really read the mountaineering manual. Prepping and dressing right and all that jazz, was only for the movies. I was about to learn on the job, just how wrong I was. I was exhausted by the time we got to the foot of the actual mountain.

They should NOT have put the mountain so far from the gate. I felt targeted.

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The Ascent.

If it was any comfort, I wasn’t alone in my lack of hiking knowledge. A lot of people ran to the base of the mountain and could barely even start the ascent. I had some idea of how NOT to spend my actual climbing energy so I put that knowledge to some use.

As the inevitable chatty member of the slowest group, I actually had the time to savor the ascent.

The sites of the entire landscape from the standpoint of the mountain as you get higher is just breathtaking. Obviously, the site of people giving up and returning to base gave me some kind of cruel triumph so that might have enhanced it a little bit. The climb seemed endless. It was exhausting. At the time, I had never really felt a hike so steep. In the early afternoon, we finally got to the rim. I was done. The guide at the back, who is typically there to make sure no one is left behind, allowed us a bit of rest then asked us what we wanted to do. Sit there until the other party made it round the rim or go round it as well. We barely had enough time to think when a few started the walk. We had to be on a schedule so we joined in.

The rim The climb was nothing. THIS was the real deal.

Not only is it a longer trip around the crater than up the mountain, but there is less ground to walk on and it’s ashy and unstable. On top of that, it also has a climb of its own to the highest point of the crater. At this point we all really just wanted to get it done. No more jokes, no more ‘positive vibes’.

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Then we looked down onto the surrounding plains.

A breathtaking view of the landscape, with some of the animals beginning to come out in the evening sun, was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I did not know that it was possible for nature, without any boost, to look like a moving painting. The views of lake Naivasha and all that surrounded it was beyond anything I could have imagined. Our moment of awe was soon ruined by our guide telling us it was time to go.

The descent For those who have hiked, you know how hard descending can be … when you came in the wrong shoes. As I had mentioned before, this was my first real hike and I was NOT prepared. Every step I took, was painful. My toes hurt and the insufficient grip made my descent less than comfortable because I felt like I was snowboarding half the time, but without a snowboard, and with aching feet. The only comfort that was offered was the fact that as it got later and cooler, more animals came out to graze and play under the beautiful backdrop of a gorgeous, almost unreal sunset. It was getting dark as we got back to base for a small, quiet party before heading back to the city, sharing stories of how much fun we just had while silently dealing with our exhaustion.

This was indeed an experience of a lifetime. A lesson full of beauty, wonder, exhaustion and friendship.

Oloonong'ot ... mountains of many spurs

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Beautiful Maasai Woman Image: Alex Strachan 35 Wild Safari

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Pride

Part of the If you follow any wild-oriented pages on social media, especially with lions involved, you have undoubtedly come across a blonde short haired man playing and interacting with lions as if they were housecats with an out-of-control growth issue. Well, THAT is Dean Schneider. A former finance major who left Switzerland to come to Africa and pursue his dream of animal rehabilitation and protection.

His pursuits bore fruit as he has not only become quite the established conservationist but he has also become quite famous on and off social media for his efforts and charisma.

Hakuna Mipaka The loose translation of the name of Schneider’s facility, Hakuna Mipaka, is ‘no borders’; or in context, No Limits.

In this rehabilitation center, there are more than just lions.

Separate areas host zebra, impala, kudu, hyenas and even baboons. The establishment of of the Hakuna Mipaka sanctuary was several years and many back and forth trips in the making as Schneider had to seek sponsors and establish a healthy rapport with local law enforcement as well as seeking community assimilation. It eventually came to pass as it is well off its feet.

Controversy Schneider’s story however is not without its issues. A video on his own network shows him punching the paw of a young member of his lion pride after one of its claws appears to clip his lip during a photo-op. This created outrage among netizens with someone heavily criticizing him and calling for investigations into his activities. After this event, some have called him Africa’s Tiger King (a reference to the controversial American Zoo keeper and politician Joe Exotic, who was also accused of animal cruelty), while others still refer to him as Africa’s Steve Irwin, whom he claims inspires him. He vehemently denies cruelty and even goes ahead to deny that there are any investigations on his Youtube channel. Schneider explains that as a faux member of a pride, boundaries have to be set, and a small amount of pain compliance has to be inflicted so as to ward the cats off injuring him or each other. While this may be scientifically sound, a lot of his followers simply didn’t see it that way.

We at Wild Safari stand against any level of animal cruelty and we wait in earnest for any more details on this issue to come out.

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The Start Of A Wild Ride. Welcome Aboard.

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