[COVID COMMENT] Congo, Carbon & Car - a Conservation update from Classics
02 July 2020
Celebrate success, take opportunities and be open to learning more.The above picture is clearly NOT the rainforests of Congo. It was taken by my 11 year old daughter as we were driving across the Karoo earlier this week. Amidst all the madness of running our businesses and navigating life in our new norm, we don't take enough time to celebrate living and successes all around us. Today, we are taking a look at conservation highlights and victories across our portfolio. Here are 4 updates we would like share with you: (1) Spotting a mandrill, (2) going carbon-positive, (3) my 'road-schooling' adventure, (4) our Tuesday Talk next week discussing the Congo Basin. |
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SPOTTING A MANDRILLFor the first time ever, footage of a rare mandrill has been captured in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. This is phenomenal as mandrills have been rarely spotted before, but never recorded, and this was on a walking trail enjoyed by Mboko Camp guests! Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) are generally found further west in Gabon. This one was captured on June 3rd on a camera trap gifted to CONGO CONSERVATION COMPANY by Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible. If this excited you as much as it did us, then tune into our TUESDAY TALK where we will have a destination-based discussion around the rainforested areas of West Africa. |
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GOING CARBON-POSITIVEIn 2019, SASAAB became a climate-positive property through indigenous tree planting in the deforested regions of Kenya (restoring wildlife habitats & reducing carbon emissions). In 2020, THE SAFARI COLLECTION commits to becoming the first climate-positive safari company in Kenya through reducing carbon emissions where/when possible and then planting trees to offset the emissions which cannot be reduced. In the last 2 years as part of their sustainability programmes, they have planted 18,000 indigenous trees with a commitment to plant another 4,000 in the next few months. At the same time, we are proud to say that CHIAWA CAMP and OLD MONDORO were Africa’s first carbon-neutral certified safari camps (from 2015), and through their initiative, other camps joined in making the Lower Zambezi National Park Africa’s first carbon-neutral national park. |
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MY 'ROAD-SCHOOLING' ADVENTURETwo weeks ago, I started our epic adventure of learning, growing and exploring deeper. My girls and I have embarked on a 3-month road trip through South Africa and we plan to join many hands-on conservation activities to complement 'road-schooling'. While inter-provincial travel in South Africa still excludes leisure, I am blessed with an essential services permit that affords my children and I the opportunity to experience something spectacular. Last week, at KWANDWE PRIVATE GAME RESERVE, we were extremely fortunate to be involved with uniting 2 male cheetahs (hoping they create a coalition), then moving buffalo and sable. The conservation work continues, even when tourism does not. My girls were totally in awe of the wonderful wildlife vet = girl power! Guests can book a Rhino Monitoring Drive with a specialist guide (R 4,000 per person, ± US$ 230) or take part in a Rhino Conservation Safari including notching (R 52,000 per group, ± US$ 3,000). Since then, we have explored the most beautiful parts of the Karoo (with as many dirt roads as possible) and discovered that in the simple pleasures of life, so many new insights will be gained. I urge you all to hit the road and enjoy what is on your doorstep. |
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TUESDAY TALK — THE CONGO BASIN & BEYONDTuesday, 7th July 2020, 16:30 (South Africa time zone)The Congo Basin makes up one of the most important wilderness areas left on Earth. At 500 million acres, it is larger than the state of Alaska and stands as the world’s second-largest rainforest. Featuring a fabulous line-up of passionate companies striving to establish conservation based tourism in spectacular locations under very challenging circumstances. We invite you to learn about the 'future safari' destinations in Africa - Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic and São Tomé & Príncipe. CLASSICS MEMBERS:CONGO CONSERVATION COMPANY — Elza Gillman (Republic of Congo)
SANGHA LODGE — Rod Cassidy (Central African Republic) HBD PRÍNCIPE — Philippe Moreau (São Tomé & Príncipe)
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| To keep up to date on our road trip adventures follow my updates on FACEBOOK or SUZANNE'S BLOG on our Classic Portfolio website.
Warmest regards |
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Seychelles
1500km east of mainland East Africa lies an archipelago of 115 islands collectively known as Seychelles. The outer islands, with a land area of 220 km2 make up almost half of the land area of Seychelles and 2% of its population. These outer islands comprise 9 important bird areas, the largest population of giant tortoises, nesting grounds for turtles, over 180 bird species, 320 species of coral, over 1000 fish species, spinner dolphins, humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, melon-headed whales and even the elusive dugong.
Within the outer islands is the Alphonse Group, the coral islands of Alphonse, St Francois and Bijoutier, about 1 hour's flight and 250km from Mahé. Just over 1000 km southwest of Mahé you find the Aldabra Group, including Cosmoledo and Astove Atolls. An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. The coral of the atoll often sits atop the rim of an extinct seamount or volcano which has eroded or subsided partially beneath the water. The lagoon forms over the volcanic crater or caldera while the higher rim remains above water or at shallow depths that permit the coral to grow and form the reefs.
It is amidst this vast oceanic playground that you will find Blue Safari Seychelles.
Kuyenda
Only accessible by 4x4. Not in walking distance from the other camps. Drive time from Mfuwe Lodge: ± 1 hour and 15minutes.
Kuyenda Bushcamp is surrounded by diverse landscapes including salt pans, dry river beds, mopane woodland, the Luangwa River and open plains. The
bushcamp comprises 3 twin rondavels (queen size beds), and 2 double rondavels (king size beds). Each ronadavel is made of thatch and grass and has
an en-suite with a shower (with hot and cold running water), double vanity, toilet and bathroom amenities.