02-17-2001, 10:18 PM
....And so it begins.
Some of you know of my plans to travel to Africa this summer. Things are beginning to take some shape. After a year and a half of planing, the trip is starting to become more than just a thought.
I have begun to research the areas and the countries I will be traveling to. This is how it looks so far. Two countries with vast lands briming beyond imagination with game. I will see Namibia and the Republic of South Africa (RSA). I have saved some 30 days of vacation time to travel to this region.
At the end of April I can put in for my summer vacation with my employer. I am going to try and spend part of August and September on safari.
RSA is divided up into areas like our States here in the USA. I have chosen to hunt in two areas there. One will be what is called KwaZulu Natal. This area was historically known as the tribal hunting grounds of the Zulu Kings. It has tropical coastal areas, high plains, mountains and vast forests. Everything is found there, elephant, rhino, lion and the plains game I will hunt. It is there I will seek the Nyala. It is a very beautiful crested antelope. One of the fabled "spiral horn antelope". I will hunt the Bushbuck, another type of spiral horn. Smaller than the Nyala but very dangerous. It will fight to the death and use its horns to impale it's enemies. Also to be found here is the legendary Kudu. It's the most magnificent of them all.
From there I will go to the Northern Province which also sports every animal there is that says "Africa". Here the Eland is sought as they are very large. These are the largest antelope, often reaching one ton in weight. Also know as the blue bull, a mature male has a blue coat and can leap high fences as if they are not there. Also reputed to be the best eating of the antelope.
The Northern Province also borders the famous Kruger National Park. Kruger is to the RSA what Yellowstone and Yosemite are to the US. I expect to see zebra, warthogs, cape buffalo, girafe, hippos.
Plans also include visiting a private farm in Namibia and to hunt with the host family. They have abundant leopard, gemsbok, mountain zebra, the quintessential impala. Cheetah are also very common there. Managed by the people, ranchers and farmers. Places to see there are Etosha and the great Namib and Kalahari deserts.
Game animals have become an important source of income to the economy. So much that in many African countries poaching is non-existant and animal species thrive in numbers rivaling the cattle ranches stock. It is in these countries that certain game animals that we are told are endangered are not. Once an animal has value, their numbers increase, like the deer herd here in Michigan. From a few thousand animals to millions. This is not so in all countries, unfortunately. Many places the animals are poached and killed as the by-product of civil war. There, in those countries, the animals have no value, so they are removed from the land.
As my safari takes shape I will post it's story.
------------------
~Ann
Every day spent outdoors is the best day of my life.
Some of you know of my plans to travel to Africa this summer. Things are beginning to take some shape. After a year and a half of planing, the trip is starting to become more than just a thought.
I have begun to research the areas and the countries I will be traveling to. This is how it looks so far. Two countries with vast lands briming beyond imagination with game. I will see Namibia and the Republic of South Africa (RSA). I have saved some 30 days of vacation time to travel to this region.
At the end of April I can put in for my summer vacation with my employer. I am going to try and spend part of August and September on safari.
RSA is divided up into areas like our States here in the USA. I have chosen to hunt in two areas there. One will be what is called KwaZulu Natal. This area was historically known as the tribal hunting grounds of the Zulu Kings. It has tropical coastal areas, high plains, mountains and vast forests. Everything is found there, elephant, rhino, lion and the plains game I will hunt. It is there I will seek the Nyala. It is a very beautiful crested antelope. One of the fabled "spiral horn antelope". I will hunt the Bushbuck, another type of spiral horn. Smaller than the Nyala but very dangerous. It will fight to the death and use its horns to impale it's enemies. Also to be found here is the legendary Kudu. It's the most magnificent of them all.
From there I will go to the Northern Province which also sports every animal there is that says "Africa". Here the Eland is sought as they are very large. These are the largest antelope, often reaching one ton in weight. Also know as the blue bull, a mature male has a blue coat and can leap high fences as if they are not there. Also reputed to be the best eating of the antelope.
The Northern Province also borders the famous Kruger National Park. Kruger is to the RSA what Yellowstone and Yosemite are to the US. I expect to see zebra, warthogs, cape buffalo, girafe, hippos.
Plans also include visiting a private farm in Namibia and to hunt with the host family. They have abundant leopard, gemsbok, mountain zebra, the quintessential impala. Cheetah are also very common there. Managed by the people, ranchers and farmers. Places to see there are Etosha and the great Namib and Kalahari deserts.
Game animals have become an important source of income to the economy. So much that in many African countries poaching is non-existant and animal species thrive in numbers rivaling the cattle ranches stock. It is in these countries that certain game animals that we are told are endangered are not. Once an animal has value, their numbers increase, like the deer herd here in Michigan. From a few thousand animals to millions. This is not so in all countries, unfortunately. Many places the animals are poached and killed as the by-product of civil war. There, in those countries, the animals have no value, so they are removed from the land.
As my safari takes shape I will post it's story.
------------------
~Ann
Every day spent outdoors is the best day of my life.