African safari

If i was to tell you that Elephants are not endangered and are subject to a limited cull right now across several regions in Africa due to increasing numbers damaging habitats so severely that they are causing other species to become endangered would you believe me?

We get spoon fed the BBC view of the world far too much when the reality is often quite different.
I would believe you if you tell me that mate, although it is what you read in the press and see on the TV. Haven't there been various pronouncements from the likes of the WWF that the African elephant may be extinct within decades because of ivory poaching? So is the problem worse in some areas than others as you are suggesting that population is increasing? I also believed that the encroachment of man and the reduction of natural habitat was also causing a reduction in the population. Genuinely interested in your views on this.
 
If i was to tell you that Elephants are not endangered and are subject to a limited cull right now across several regions in Africa due to increasing numbers damaging habitats so severely that they are causing other species to become endangered would you believe me?

We get spoon fed the BBC view of the world far too much when the reality is often quite different.
Same happens where you are living now mate. The amount of seals on the north/north east coast is endangering returning wild salmon and sea trout numbers. Imo. But seals are cute and cuddly for the BBC camera crews. Same went for that autumn watch bollocks episode on the river Nith.
 
I would believe you if you tell me that mate, although it is what you read in the press and see on the TV. Haven't there been various pronouncements from the likes of the WWF that the African elephant may be extinct within decades because of ivory poaching? So is the problem worse in some areas than others as you are suggesting that population is increasing? I also believed that the encroachment of man and the reduction of natural habitat was also causing a reduction in the population. Genuinely interested in your views on this.

Encroachment of man is by far the biggest factor in all animal species numbers dwindling. Look at the UK a 1000 years ago and look at the wild animals that roamed our forests for centuries until we came along! Poaching is again a huge issue but whilst there is a trade, there will be those willing to do whatever it takes to make money and all that can be done is what is done given the poor resources amongst most African countries and the sheer size of land that has to be policed. We lived on a fenced farm with a total fence line of 74 miles, tiny in South African terms but poachers came in and they took animals and there is frankly little that you can do.

On Elephants, the public has an image of a cuddly Elephant just going about its business and whilst they are indeed, majestic and magnificent, they are also by the nature of what they do incredibly destructive. Almost constant browsers, they will decimate scrub at an incredible rate, eating only the bits they actually want whilst killing entire swathes of bush that is left to just rot, bush that a lot of other species relies upon to survive and due to the increasing numbers of national parks and the size of them, they have come back in numbers from a low point up to where we are now which is they are a problem and an unofficial cull in certain spots is happening but for obvious reasons, it wont ever get publicised.

No issue with the WWF or other such organisations but its best remembered they are a charity and they ultimately want your cash so will say things in a certain way to ensure they get that if you get me?

It brings me back to game farm owners who with the national parks are currently the best out there to ensure that animals do indeed survive and are managed in a sustainable way through captive breeding projects and sound animal management. Humans are not going away and the push ever deeper into Africa for land for habitat is only going to increase and a return to hundreds of years ago and populations in their millions running wild is never ever going to happen again im afraid but its what it is and imo, things are being done to make sure that African Elephants will be around for a long time yet in huge numbers as well.
 
Chobe in Botswana is fantastic. Plenty of animals especially elephants and water dwellers. Viewing from boat or safari truck. You also get very close to the animals.

PM me for details and photos
 
Encroachment of man is by far the biggest factor in all animal species numbers dwindling. Look at the UK a 1000 years ago and look at the wild animals that roamed our forests for centuries until we came along! Poaching is again a huge issue but whilst there is a trade, there will be those willing to do whatever it takes to make money and all that can be done is what is done given the poor resources amongst most African countries and the sheer size of land that has to be policed. We lived on a fenced farm with a total fence line of 74 miles, tiny in South African terms but poachers came in and they took animals and there is frankly little that you can do.

On Elephants, the public has an image of a cuddly Elephant just going about its business and whilst they are indeed, majestic and magnificent, they are also by the nature of what they do incredibly destructive. Almost constant browsers, they will decimate scrub at an incredible rate, eating only the bits they actually want whilst killing entire swathes of bush that is left to just rot, bush that a lot of other species relies upon to survive and due to the increasing numbers of national parks and the size of them, they have come back in numbers from a low point up to where we are now which is they are a problem and an unofficial cull in certain spots is happening but for obvious reasons, it wont ever get publicised.

No issue with the WWF or other such organisations but its best remembered they are a charity and they ultimately want your cash so will say things in a certain way to ensure they get that if you get me?

It brings me back to game farm owners who with the national parks are currently the best out there to ensure that animals do indeed survive and are managed in a sustainable way through captive breeding projects and sound animal management. Humans are not going away and the push ever deeper into Africa for land for habitat is only going to increase and a return to hundreds of years ago and populations in their millions running wild is never ever going to happen again im afraid but its what it is and imo, things are being done to make sure that African Elephants will be around for a long time yet in huge numbers as well.
shadecloth on the fence.

I did a canoe trip down the Zambezi aroudn 1994 and it ended in Mana Pools. The rangers showed us the effects of poaching and the disgusting way they butchered the animals. When we asked what they did with poachers if they caught them, they replied that "disappeared in the bush".

Even then the rhinos were under threat and we went to a safe section where the rhinos were in quarantine awaiting relocation. They were is enclosed pens with shadecloth on the fence. We could get within 1m of them and feel their breath as they snorted. Incredible.
 
Encroachment of man is by far the biggest factor in all animal species numbers dwindling. Look at the UK a 1000 years ago and look at the wild animals that roamed our forests for centuries until we came along! Poaching is again a huge issue but whilst there is a trade, there will be those willing to do whatever it takes to make money and all that can be done is what is done given the poor resources amongst most African countries and the sheer size of land that has to be policed. We lived on a fenced farm with a total fence line of 74 miles, tiny in South African terms but poachers came in and they took animals and there is frankly little that you can do.

On Elephants, the public has an image of a cuddly Elephant just going about its business and whilst they are indeed, majestic and magnificent, they are also by the nature of what they do incredibly destructive. Almost constant browsers, they will decimate scrub at an incredible rate, eating only the bits they actually want whilst killing entire swathes of bush that is left to just rot, bush that a lot of other species relies upon to survive and due to the increasing numbers of national parks and the size of them, they have come back in numbers from a low point up to where we are now which is they are a problem and an unofficial cull in certain spots is happening but for obvious reasons, it wont ever get publicised.

No issue with the WWF or other such organisations but its best remembered they are a charity and they ultimately want your cash so will say things in a certain way to ensure they get that if you get me?

It brings me back to game farm owners who with the national parks are currently the best out there to ensure that animals do indeed survive and are managed in a sustainable way through captive breeding projects and sound animal management. Humans are not going away and the push ever deeper into Africa for land for habitat is only going to increase and a return to hundreds of years ago and populations in their millions running wild is never ever going to happen again im afraid but its what it is and imo, things are being done to make sure that African Elephants will be around for a long time yet in huge numbers as well.
Thanks for taking the time to share that. Very interesting and thats heartening to know. I obviously need to read more widely about this issue as it it is almost invariable doom and gloom stories about African wildlife populations. Cheers mate.
 
Same happens where you are living now mate. The amount of seals on the north/north east coast is endangering returning wild salmon and sea trout numbers. Imo. But seals are cute and cuddly for the BBC camera crews. Same went for that autumn watch bollocks episode on the river Nith.
Hi Snorky, interesting that you put that down to seals. On the west coast of Scotland it is sea lice from fish farms that have decimated the wild salmonid stock. Wouldn't eat farmed salmon if you paid me to - if people could see what goes on, they wouldn't touch that polluted food with a barge pole!
 
Chobe in Botswana is fantastic. Plenty of animals especially elephants and water dwellers. Viewing from boat or safari truck. You also get very close to the animals.

PM me for details and photos

If i was to move back tomorrow id want to live in Botswana, love the place.
 
Thanks for taking the time to share that. Very interesting and thats heartening to know. I obviously need to read more widely about this issue as it it is almost invariable doom and gloom stories about African wildlife populations. Cheers mate.

We really should be worried about Rhino mate as they are being decimated unfortunately. Game farms in the area i lived are now either dehorning their Rhino themselves or drilling and injecting anti bank robbery dye as well as almost private armys and drones in the sky to monitor their animals.
 
Hi Snorky, interesting that you put that down to seals. On the west coast of Scotland it is sea lice from fish farms that have decimated the wild salmonid stock. Wouldn't eat farmed salmon if you paid me to - if people could see what goes on, they wouldn't touch that polluted food with a barge pole!
Hi mate. Couldn't agree with you more. Loch Linnhe on the west coast being a prime example.
 

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