Search Results

Going on an African venture is something that is a once in a lifetime experience for a lot of people. This is the reason why the correct clothing is so important. Everyone has different tastes and depending on what type of trip you’re going on, your kit selection may also vary. This is the reason why instead of giving you a packing list, we decided to answer some of the most common questions on what to wear in on tour. Long Sleeves or Short Sleeves? While many people assume that a short-sleeved shirt or a sleeveless top would be the best thing to wear because of the warm weather, wearing a long-sleeved, loose-fitting top made of breathable material instead would be the most sensible thing to do. The long sleeves will protect your arms from the sun in the day and from insect bites at night. If you have sensitive skin and easily gets sunburned, long sleeves will definitely be the best choice. Make sure the fabric is made of light airy material. If the weather is too warm, you can always roll up the sleeves, or layer it over a shirt in case you need more warmth. Shorts or Trousers? Just like long-sleeved tops, long trousers would be a great choice especially if you are taking hiking in the bush. Long trousers will protect your legs not only from insects, but also from bushes and shrubs during your walking tours. If you’re wearing trousers, you wouldn’t need to worry much about scratching your legs from thorns or rocks when hiking or climbing. Trousers also protect your legs from mosquito bites in the evening and the hot African sun during the day. Try to avoid trousers with Velcro that can be noisy and may disturb wildlife. Also avoid trousers with loops or different fastenings on the pockets which might get caught in the bushes. For women, leggings are always a very popular and comfortable option for the day and the evening. But bring a few pairs as they can rip on thorns easily… Do Colours Matter? You may have noticed that people going on safaris wear light, neutral or natural colours. This is because it is important to blend into the environment as much as possible. Plain clothes in colours like khaki, grey, beige, and off-white are recommended. Wearing white is not recommended as your clothes can get dusty and dirty easily during the day and at night time, white attracts insects. Bright, glaring colours may cause wildlife to move away from you unnecessarily. Shoes, Boots or Sandals? Waterproof hiking boots are your best bet when going on tour in Africa. While you might think trainers would do the trick, there’s a high possibility that they won’t be able to survive the elements unless they are sturdy trail running shoes. More importantly, quality hiking boots will protect your feet wherever the journey takes you and a good ankle support will help over rough terrain. Make sure you get a comfortable, well-fitting pair because you will be spending a lot of hours in these walking boots. In the evening, a good pair of trainers are fine and very comfortable. Bringing sandals to air out your feet when you get back to camp and when showering or lounging will also be a good idea. Ensure they have ‘closed toes’ in case of thorns. What Accessories Do I Need? In terms of outfit accessories, here are some suggestions: Sunglasses – to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun Hats or Scarf – to protect your face and head from the sun and to also protect your hair from dust and dirt Sarong – you can use this as a cover up, a scarf, a shawl or as a skirt substitute Warm Jacket – At any time of the year that you’re travelling, the early morning and night can be cool to very cold so it is best to be ready with a jacket to warm you up. Water Proof – A thin waterproof outer shell is essential in case you need to cover yourself from sudden rain or when the wind gets up. Bring some gloves and a beanie hat from June – September too while you’re at it! If you want to learn more about wildlife and travelling to Africa, send us a message today. We’ll tell you all about how you can plan your adventure!

While leopards can be found in many countries in Africa, a sighting of this awe-inspiring animal never ceases to be an amazing experience, even for wildlife environmentalists. Its beautiful spotted coat and its graceful movements hold a contained power that is unique from other big cats. A few weeks ago, the Africa Wild Trails team discovered leopards in one of the places they have positioned their camera traps. Camera traps are remotely activated cameras equipped with a motion/light sensors used all over Africa to track and understand animal movements. When one of the camera traps caught an image of a leopard, the team was surprised as they initially had no idea that leopards were even in that area. This leopard sighting was the inspiration for this blog post. To learn more about leopards, we’ve gathered answers to five of the most commonly asked questions about this wild cat. Where Do Leopards Live? Leopards have been shown to be highly adaptable to many places, both in warm and cold climates. They can be found in a wide range of habitats including deserts, semi-deserts, savannah grasslands, mountainous environments, rocky landscapes and riverine forests. Because of their adaptability, leopards can be found in many regions of the world including Sub-Saharan Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, India, Russia, Turkey, China, Java Islands and Sri-Lanka. Leopards are native to around 35 countries in Africa. What Do Leopards Eat? Leopards are carnivorous mammals that are not very selective of their meat. They are known to have varied diets as they hunt and feed on pigs, deer, bugs, fish, antelope, monkeys, birds and even rodents! They can feed on pretty much anything available. Because they are skilled climbers, they often drag their prey up into the trees to prevent scavengers stealing their hunt. Why the Leopard Got its Spots? While many children would refer to a famous tale by Rudyard Kipling of the same title, there is no final conclusion yet on the reason why leopards have spots. There have been many theories regarding this conundrum including having spots as a means to attract the opposite sex or as a social signaling function. However, one study that used mathematical analysis on leopard spots arrived at the conclusion that the spots in leopards are closely tied to their environments. This assumes that the complex spots are required by these animals in order to camouflage and blend into their environments for survival. What’s Faster, a Leopard or Cheetah? Cheetahs are the fastest land mammals on earth with a top speed of 112 kilometres per hour. Leopards’ top speed only reaches 88.5 kilometres per hours. While Cheetahs are faster, leopards are much stronger as they are stockier and bulkier. Cheetahs are built for speed which sacrifices their muscles. Are Leopards Endangered? Leopard populations are decreasing and are considered Vulnerable, which is one step away from being endangered. While leopards as a species are not endangered, certain sub-species are critically endangered including populations in North Africa, Middle East and Russia. The primary threats to leopards include loss of habitat, being hunted for their soft fur, and being killed when they become a threat to livestock. If you want to learn more about wildlife and travelling to Africa, send us a message today. We’ll tell you all about how you can plan your adventure!

The bold black and white patterns that swathe a zebra’s coat is nothing short of amazing. While it was previously believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes and underbellies, it has since been concluded that zebras are black with white stripes. This same iconic design has inspired many theories that speculate why zebras have stripes. Even renowned biologists Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace famously debated about this issue back in the 1870s. According to a team of researchers from a university in Hungary, there are as many as 18 theories for the possible functions of zebra stripes. Of these 18 theories, three are more prevalent than the rest. Here are the three popular theories on why zebras have stripes. 1. To regulate body temperature A 2015 research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science reported that the stripes may have evolved to keep zebras stay cool in the midday heat. Because of the zebras’ less efficient digestive ability, they have the need to forage for food at longer periods during the day. This makes it useful for them to have an additional cooling mechanism. The researchers who are from the University of California Los Angeles conducted a comprehensive study that showed how temperature is a critical factor that is most strongly linked to striping. They found that the warmer it is, the more stripes on the zebra. According to the research, the torso stripes help regulate body temperature and that heavily striped zebras have lower skin temperatures(3 degrees Celsius lower) than other non-striped mammals in the same area. However, not all scientists agree with this theory. A 2018 study published in the journal Scientific Reports stated that findings did not support that the stripes have a cooling effect. The team used water-filled metal barrels to test the heat regulation hypothesis and found that zebra-striped barrels did not present a significant difference in temperature than plain covered barrels. 2. To repel insects Another theory propose that the purpose of the zebra stripes is to repel disease-carrying flies. According to experiments, it has been shown that biting flies do not like landing on striped surfaces. A biologist at the University of California Davis, Tim Caro, supports this theory. He said that similar studies that his team conducted have shown that striping is linked to repelling biting flies. Caro added that these flies, like horseflies, can carry really nasty diseases such as equine influenza. 3. Camouflage This reason may seem strange especially for humans who see zebras as stand-out animals. But according to some naturalists, the stripes of zebras can potentially serve to confuse predators. The wavy lines of the stripes enable them to easily blend into their natural habitat like big blades of grass. This is because their main predators, lions, are known to be colour blind. This means that a striped coat with alternating colours may be more confusing than just a single block of colour.

There are various methods wildlife environmentalists employ to strengthen conservation efforts. No one way could single-handedly win the battle against illegal poaching in the same way there isn’t a single solution to climate change. One device that is used in wildlife conservation is the tracking collar. But what is a tracking collar? A tracking collar is a device attached to the neck or to the limb of an animal. It is primarily used to monitor animal location and gather data. There are different kinds of tracking collars: VHF collars that use radio signals, GPS collars, and now - high-tech smart collars. Tracking collars are very important because they provide valuable data to researchers and environmentalists. Collars are used to help track population size, habitat, hunting patterns, and other information that could provide a real glimpse on how animals live and survive in the wild. Knowing this information helps scientists understand how climate change is affecting wild animals helping to determine what steps need to be taken. By providing accurate location of the animals, collars can also help fight poaching, especially in observing animals that are endangered or are in vulnerable areas. How technology is changing tracking methods Tracking collars are not new inventions. For years, VHF and GPS collars have been used in aiding wildlife conservation efforts. But as technology evolves, newer devices are being developed that could detect and collect more sophisticated data. Before, tracking collars were limited to determining the location of the animals. Now, there are collars that could detect information such as animal behaviour, metabolism, range of movement, energy expenditure and the way animals adapt to the environment. These new breed of collars are somewhat similar to fitness trackers that humans wear and connect to their mobile phones to track calories burned, heart rate, steps taken, sleep patterns, etc. This level of detail is now being made available in animal tracking collars, but data collected is customized to suit the information required in wildlife research. One example of these high-tech devices is the SMART collar created by eco psychologist Terrie Williams, wildlife ecologist Christopher Wilmers and computer engineer Gabriel Elkaim. The collar the inventors developed was the first to measure energy expenditure on a terrestrial cat. The SMART collar records different data signatures that shows how fast a wild animal moves, how high it jumps, when it rests, walks, and eats, and how it kills its prey.This was considered a breakthrough that has dramatically improved research. But this technology is not limited to tracking collars alone. Now, tracking devices are becoming increasingly specialized in order to gather data specific to different species. Aside from collars for mammals, there are high-tech tracking devices for other animals like fish and birds. Technology has also shaped newer collars to be less bulky and to suit even smaller species. Camera traps are also a good piece of technology used all over Africa now for tracking and understanding animal movements. This photo of a leopard was taken last month by one of Africa Wild Trails’ partner camera traps and was surprising as we were not expecting to capture this image of a leopard. Sightings of leopard in the area are very rare and only the occasional print would be found. To note it's tracking collar on this camera trap image was surprising and efforts are now being made to establish where this leopard originated. As technology becomes more efficient, the use of tracking collars and other devices will become more effective in helping wildlife conservation.

Technology has enabled many conveniences that help us in our daily lives. One of these innovations that has many applications is drone technology. But do you know that drones could also be used to support wildlife conservation efforts? What is a Drone? A drone is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV. It is also referred to as an RPA or Remotely Piloted Aircraft, which means that it could be flown without any human pilot aboard the vehicle. In simple terms, it is an aircraft that could be controlled remotely. While drones were previously just associated with military use, they are now being used in different industries. Government organisations, private groups and even civilians now use drones for diverse purposes including traffic monitoring, weather monitoring, search and rescue, photography, videography, agriculture, delivery services and yes – wildlife conservation. Drones for Wildlife Conservation Use Drones are now being used in order to promote wildlife conservation. One of the more publicized efforts was when tech giant Google contributed $5 million US Dollars to the World Wildlife Fund in 2012 to purchase drones that could be used to monitor and catch wildlife poachers. This was also followed by another multi-million donation by the Howard G. Buffet Foundation to test new anti-poaching drone technology in South African National Parks. But how exactly do drones assist in these conservation efforts? Drones Could Be Used To Monitor Endangered Habitats Wildlife habitats are vast so unlike a bank or a museum building where you could install CCTV security cameras, it is impossible to effectively monitor such a huge area using ground cameras or people. Drones with cameras attached to them could be used to survey a much larger area and record footage in real time. For example, silent drones together with military-style computer analytics are now being used by the Air Shepherd Initiative to track down and intercept poachers by sending rangers before the poaching incident takes place. In South Africa, drones are equipped with thermal-imaging cameras to scan heat signatures of rhino poachers. Drones are also being used in Belize to monitor illegal fishing and in Indonesia to survey orangutan habitats. Drones Provide a Safer Way to Collect and Monitor Wildlife Data Intercepting poachers is not the only way to drive anti-poaching efforts. One of the first steps is to identify and determine areas where certain species could be found. By collecting this data, it becomes easier for conservationists to narrow down which areas to focus on and protect. Flying in traditional aircrafts used to be the typical way to do so, however, this is not a very safe practice. In fact, aircraft crashes account for 66% of deaths of people in the wildlife industry. This is because aircrafts flown low for environmental purposes results in a relatively high number of accidents. Drones are a much safer option and while they are seen as a cause of disturbance to animal life, they are much quieter than a small plane or a helicopter. Another advantage is that the drone’s small size makes it easier to access areas previously inaccessible by aircraft or by foot. Drones Are More Cost-Effective Than Traditional Aircrafts The lucrative poaching industry provides poachers with sophisticated equipment that hugely surpass the resources of conservationists. This is the reason why the use of more cost-efficient but equally effective conservation methods could really make a difference in combating poaching. Use of a traditional aircraft is undoubtedly expensive, plus it involves a trained pilot, more time, and more resources just for a single flight. If activities such as tracking and monitoring are replaced with drone technology, it could free up resources for the promotion and expansion of other efforts. Using Drones For The Better Drones are increasingly being used for conservation efforts and in 2018 Africa Wild Trails deployed drones sucessfully for the first time during our Nile crocodile and Cape giraffe field study projects in July and August. The footage and images gained enabled us to better complete our initial location work and subsequent census.

The giraffe is one of the most breath-taking animals to ever walk planet Earth. Its graceful long neck, slender legs and distinctive spotted coat lend it a majestic presence. Being one of the more familiar large mammals, it is then quite surprising to hear that the giraffe population is now threatened. So, are giraffes considered an endangered species? Let’s look at the facts. Giraffes by the Numbers Less than 100,000 giraffes roam the wild. That number is 40% less than the 157,000 individuals back in 1985. The count back in 2015 was at 97,562 giraffes which was the clincher on why the International Union for the Conservation of Nature or IUCN had to place the tallest mammals in the world on the Vulnerable status. But what does this mean exactly? The IUCN produces a report on the status of animals called the Red List of Threatened Species Report. The report categorises animals from Least Concern status to Extinct status. The giraffes used to be at the Least Concern for extinction status but jumped to Vulnerable to extinction in July 2016 due to the observed dramatic decline in numbers in just over three generations. While not technically endangered yet, this vulnerable status is only one step away from being endangered. This means that if factors contributing to the species’ decline are not stopped, then giraffes could very well be extinct in the wild in just a number of years. In fact, giraffes are already considered extinct in some countries including Eritrea, Guinea, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal. Threats to Giraffes There are different factors that threaten the giraffe population in the wild. The two key threats include poaching and loss of habitat. While giraffe poaching does not make as much noise as rhino or elephant poaching, it is alarming how this illegal activity has become more rampant. Reports of giraffes being slaughtered for their tails have been published as the tails are considered a status symbol in some cultures. Another threat is the loss of habitat for these large mammals. This is often caused by the increasing encroachment of human communities into the giraffes’ habitats. Other factors like deforestation, land use conversion and increase in human population also contribute to this scenario. Conservation Efforts The decline in the number of giraffes was considered a silent extinction because historically, the familiar species were not given much attention in terms of conservation, until it was realized that giraffe numbers were already disturbingly low. After entering the vulnerable status, measures such as habitat management, community awareness, and protection through law enforcement were implemented. At Africa Wild Trails we recognise the importance of protecting these magnificent species. This is the reason why we have worked closely with Dr Peter Calverley from Zingela Safaris and launched a Giraffe Conservation Project which is a scientific field study that takes place in South Africa. Our project’s first step aims to investigate and gather information regarding population size of giraffe in the area, to create an identity kit for individual giraffe and note their annual movement patterns in order to determine the actions to take next. We have concluded our field study and research, and we are now opening our next Giraffe Conservation Project which will take place in July 2019. If you want to learn more about how to take part, email us for more information.

The loss of 30% of the world’s Giraffe population in the last 30 years has resulted in the species being classified as ‘vulnerable’ on the ICUN Red List. During the next six months, Angus Wingfield (Venture Leader and Africa Wild Trails founder) will be touring the UK delivering free talks to students on Giraffe conservation field work in Africa.

Food is fuel, but is that all you need to achieve your tour or expedition goals... What else should be added to these factors that improve physical performance?

Knowing which boots you need to wear is completely dependent on terrain, duration of use and weather. Boot Fit Try boots on in the afternoon as your feet swell during the day’s activities. Must fit snuggly, without your heal rising when walking and your toes must not touch the end. Water Resistance Allowing water to enter your boots is a cause of blisters, so ensure you waterproof your boots and keep your feet dry. Boot Tongue This prevents sand, small stones and water from entering. The tongue must not be loose but stitched to the bottom and sides. Boot Weight Must be light enough to give you unhindered movement yet sturdy enough for the planned terrain, weather and duration. Boot Socks Wear worn in socks, not new socks when you try out your boots for fit and comfort. Go for synthetic over cotton which are less likely to give you blisters as cotton dries more slowly. Boots online It’s fine to buy online as companies use consistent sizes these days. Choose a company with a good returns policy, just in case. Coming soon: Breaking In Your Boots!

These days your backpack can quickly fill up with heavy items of bulky tech so you need to consider what tech you pack and what you don't. Like most travellers, you are likely to want to use your mobile phone on a venture or expeditions for keeping in touch and taking photos. Harnessing the energy of the sun is a great and green way to generate the power you need to keep your phone charged. This is one tech item to pack! The OLEBR portable solar charger gives maximum support in terms of re-charging when away from power source or outdoors and will charge 3 devices at a time. The LED flashlight feature makes it a great little addition to solve light needs in the dark environment. Big capacity: 24000mAh for outdoor use especially on camping trips and other similar occasions. 3 USB quick charging: 3 ports all of which can be used to charge simultaneously with 2A high-speed charging. Quick charging and suitable for almost all smartphones and tablets etc. Solar: 8% conversion, which offers enough juice for emergency use when outdoors. It is advised to charge fully, before outdoors activities. Small fans: Small USB fans included for cooling when it's hot and humid outside and you are without any other power source.