What to do and Where to go this Weekend!

There are so many people doing so many good things out there that we decided to tell you about them. So while you're on the net this weekend, why not take some time to visit their sites and support their causes.

MISSION RHINO - Helping to preserve Rhinos in South Africa

In South Africa, we are fortunate to enjoy a huge diversity of native animals and birds but every year millions of these animals are killed, injured, or suffer some trauma – either as a result of direct contact with man, or the impact that we have on the environment. At Mission Rhino our aim is to help redress the balance between man and nature and to play our part in preserving our heritage for future generations to enjoy. While there are thousands of organizations and schemes dedicated to the vital work of preserving natural habitats, there are still very few who help rhino. Find out about the volunteering program too!

AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC - The magazine that brings the world to Africa 

and takes Africa to the world

The blog features up to the date news on safari related events across Africa. It's worth subscribing to their blog or download their information packed digimag - the online magazine. Subscribe and the links gets sent to your inbox and IT'S FREE!

PLAN YOUR SAFARI - A great blog for interesting reading!

Head over to Plan Your Safari and read interesting articles packed with safari related tips and insights. Featuring great photos, useful information and covering a large part of Africa, this is essential reading!

If you're stuck in city this weekend and can't get to the bush, plan your next trip by heading over to the Getaway Show, being held at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate.

If you're reading this on Friday, why not test your safari skills at Rhino Africa's "Friday Quiz"

last but not least - PHOTO AFRICA

Photo Africa is a website showing the incredible photos, offering photographic safaris and extremely useful tips for aspiring photographers. During September they're offering some amazing wallpaper images which will leave you dreaming of the Africa you wish you could see every day. 

Have a great weekend!

Destination of the Week - Samara Private Game Reserve

Samara Karoo Lodge - Karoo Kaleidoscope

The Samara Karoo Lodge on the Samara Private Game Reserve is a luxurious camp styled around a traditional Karoo farmhouse with thick patios around the entire exterior offering guests the opportunity of relaxing on a private porch and soaking up the magic of the Karoo. There are 6 suites in total accommodating a maximum of 12 guests at a time - 3 Lodge Suites which form part of the main homestead and three Karoo Suites which are hugely spacious independent cottages. The décor is suitably simple and local in theme. Arriving back from a game drive to a freshly run and piping hot bubble bath soothes away any aches and pains. The lodge is quintessentially Karoo in character.


The Samara Game Reserve is something special. It covers a huge area of 28 000 hectares and hosts a wide array of habitat types. Game drives are conducted in a 14 000 hectare section of the property where rhino, buffalo and cheetah roam whilst nature walks and hiking can be done on the other 14 000 hectare which does not host any dangerous game. Although not a big 5 reserve, Samara is home to small populations of rhino, buffalo and leopard (rarely seen). The true beauty of Samara lies in the continually changing vistas. The lodges are situated in lower lying areas of typical Nama Karoo dominated by its usual succulent plant species, dry river beds and beautiful shepherd trees. As you head up the thickly vegetated valleys you emerge on to a plateau of vast open grasslands. The views from up here of the immense Karoo floor hundreds of metres below are absolutely breathtaking. Herds of black wildebeest, blesbok and eland roam the plains. Samara is home to healthy populations of Plains and Cape Mountain Zebra which both naturally occur here. A highlight of any trip to Samara is the late night safari where guests search for unusual nocturnal creatures such as aardvark, springhare and black footed cat. Another highlight is approaching wild cheetah on foot. The adult cheetahs on Samara are collared and guides use telemetry equipment to track the animal’s location on this vast reserve. Once sighted guests alight from the vehicle and follow the guide on foot to view these magnificent cats in the open.

Samara Karoo Lodge is suitable for families, couples and small groups looking for an intimate nature experience in the Karoo. Samara is especially suitable for nature lovers looking for something a bit different from your typical big game viewing safari – here the focus is on the smaller and often more interesting plants and creatures. Highlights are the possibility of getting up close and personal to cheetah on foot or to see elusive aardvark (Samara is arguably the best place in South Africa to view these creatures). The night drives in particular offer a very rewarding game viewing experience

SAMARA SPECIAL OFFER!!

Samara Private Game Reserve has so much to offer - we believe that you need three nights under the Karoo skies to truly experience the wonders of Samara, and that is why we will be giving you a complimentary third night as our gift to you for booking of 2 nights or more.


Begin the journey of revitalisation on your 'thinking mans safari', where you can plant a spekboom, walk with a master tracker and explore the ancient rock arts before relaxing to an afternoon of indulgence with spa treatments, Karoo cuisine and sunset game drives.


Elegant lodges provide luxury accommodation nestled between an amphitheatre of mountains on 70,000 acres, where wildlife roams again. An amazing life changing experience awaits, so come walk with the cheetah as you celebrate the rebirth of a unique piece of Africa and experience a luxury safari in the Graaff Reinet region of the Eastern Cape.


Contact Samara Reservations

Read more about our experience at Samara Private Game Reserve on The Game Lodge Index

The Last Cheetah – Nairobi National Park

The Last Cheetah – Nairobi National Park

The Last Cheetah

Category: Athi Kapiti Ecosystem, Nairobi National Park, cheetahs
Date: September 6th 2010
By: nairobinationalpark

Yesterday, in the Athi Basin, we came across what I believe to be the last cheetah in Nairobi National Park: a large male.

He had killed a hen ostrich & on our approach, trotted off (an extremely wary cheetah, this: he would have to be , would he not, to be the last survivor?

Paradoxically there are many (8?) cheetahs in the ‘Orphanage’ at Main Gate & across the main highway to Tanzania (which is the southern, uncrossable, boundary of the park’s dispersal area) there seems to be a fair population of wild cheetahs, but this is the last one in NNP: no cubs have been seen for several years now, though we hope that by some miracle a female may appear from somewhere……

Look at the belly:stuffed with ostrich meat!

The kill: a cheetah pulling down & killing an ostrich is something I have never heard of!

But then this is no ordinary cheetah: here’s a shot from several years ago of the same cheetah on a fully grown kongoni he killed: this individual is a formidable hunter……

Tag

A few Interesting facts about Cheetahs!

Photo courtesy of PMdT Photography

• The cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes.
• Black "tear marks", which run from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth, keep the sun out of its eyes and make it one of the most deadly hunters in the animal kingdom
• The cheetah is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of up to 120km/h (74mph).
• One stride covers from 6 – 9 metres (19 – 29ft).
• It can cover 28m (91ft) in one second

Photo courtesy of Idwala Game Lodge

• Cheetah coat is very specific. It’s coarse, short and has up to 2000 black spots which help him camouflage itself while hunting preys.
• Cheetahs will catch their preys within 1 minute or leave it if it takes too long as it cannot run at full speed for long distances.
• Cheetahs do not roar like lions, but they purr just like a domestic cat when content.
• Once a common animal found on five continents, the cheetah is now an Endangered Species

Photo courtesy of Idwala Game Lodge






The scientific name for cheetah is Acinonyx jubatus – Acinonyx meaning ‘non-moving claws’ referring to the non retractable claws andjubatus, which means maned, referring to the mantle on a young cheetahs back.










The cheetah’s long muscular tail acts like a rudder, giving it balance when it turns at high speed during a chase










The cheetah needs a large area of land to survive, but with the expanding of the human race this area is becoming smaller and smaller. The cheetahs' survival depends on people and our ability to manage the wild population and protect its habitat

WWF says make a noise for rhinos

WWF says make a noise for rhinos
(Original article from Africa Geographic)

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on Wednesday urged the public to dust off their vuvuzelas and participate in “Make a noise for rhino” day on September 22.
It was part of a campaign to support the country’’s “rhino warriors”, the men and women who risked their lives daily against gangs who ran the illegal rhino trade, said WWF spokesperson Joseph Okori.
This year, 188 rhino had been poached in South Africa.
The campaign to raise awareness about saving rhinos would start on September 22, which will also be the first day of rhino month.
This article was published by news24.com

Photo of the Week - Cheetah

Cheetah Family

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an 

out of the ordinary 

 member of the cat family (Felidae) that is unique in its speed, while lacking strong climbing skills.