Drought forces Kruger to cull animals

The Kruger National Park has culled 59 of its hippos, said William Mabasa, Acting Head of Communications, SANParks, a result of the drought, which has left no food for the animals.

At the moment the meat is being sold to staff, but Mabasa says that ultimately they want to supply the meat to some NGOs around the park.

“Our abattoir’s registration process has not been complete, so we can’t take that meat out at the moment.”

Mabasa adds that the park will also look to cull buffaloes but at the moment there are no plans to cull any other animals.

Bringing brain science to winemaking: SA's world-first 'neurowine'

4 May 2016

A South African team of marketers and neuroscientists have announced the launch of the world's first neurowine, a wine developed by applying techniques usually used in neuroscience to winemaking.
Pieter Walser, a Cape winemaker from the Blankbottle label, partnered with local "neuro-marketing" consultancy Neural Sense to test 21 white and 20 red wine varietals from vineyards across the country.
Walser's emotional and cognitive responses to each taste were assessed, using neuroscience and biometric technologies. The test results were then used to create a perfect blend, a neurowine. It is available as both a red and a white wine.

South Africa is the eighth-largest wine producer in the world. Local wines are increasingly popular overseas, with exports doubling from 2005 to 2015.

The neurowine process
"One of the pieces of technology we used – known as electroencephalography or EEG – is a device which fits around the head and picks up the electrical activity on the surface of one's scalp," said Dr David Rosenstein of Neural Sense.

"It looks at how the brain is functioning and the associated brain waves, which in turn tells us various things about brain activity."
The team of scientists built a model of Walser's brain activity and, coupled with the biometric data, were able to reveal his unconscious responses to the wine-tasting experience.

"This model enabled us to determine what were the best performing aspects of the various varietals he was tasting and identify the top wine varietals that his unconscious appealed to, together with his subjective reporting, to form the neurowine blend," Rosenstein said.

The power of the subconscious
Walser said his preconceptions of what wine should taste like can sometimes get in the way of formulating a blended wine.

"The day I pick them, I taste the grapes and I decide more or less what the wine's going to be like, but it then goes through different phases during the winemaking process so by the time I need to bottle, I can become confused," he said.

The neuroscience method has helped him make his decision. "This neuro-marketing approach has allowed my subconscious, and not my conscious, to do the talking."
The job of a neuroscientist and neuro-marketer is to understand how people experience things, according to 
Neural Sense's Mark Drummond.

"Using neuro-marketing techniques and technologies we are able to explore the subconscious and the underlying emotional drivers that drive decision making," he said.
"This allows us to see into the hearts and minds of consumers, or winemakers in this case, giving us new insight into their experiences which can then be optimised."

Taste it yourself
Walser started his label Blankbottle because he was "fed up of tasting wines with fancy labels and wanted to create a wine brand that you could judge only on quality, not looks."

He said his wines come from an array of vineyards, allowing him to create many different wine styles.
Neurowine will be available at Woolworths

An African Winter Wonderland in the Cederberg

The winter season transforms Kagga Kamma into a wonderland, as the landscape is altered.  Waterholes and rock pools fill up after the much cherished rain has fallen and flowers bloom all over the Reserve.

Kagga Kamma's Top Winter Wonders

Top 4 Winter Activities:

• Rock Art Tour - Go back in time to see historic rock art. At the same time experience the beautiful flowers found on this tour.

• Hiking - The perfect temperature to truly take in and enjoy the untouched landscapes is as midday during winter time.

• Go exploring - Go search and explore after the rain to find undiscovered rock pools.  Take a photo and then try to see if you can find an even bigger one.

• Bouldering - Winter is the ideal time for bouldering.  The low temperaturs provide better friction and less sweat on the hands - perfect for those difficult holds.

New campsite planned for Zimbabwe

The Shearwater Village is a new campsite by Shearwater due to open in December, in Zimbabwe.

As the crow flies it will be a short 600m to the Victoria Falls.

The village will include campsites, en-suite chalets, restaurant, pool, bar, laundry, wifi, on site bakery and cafe, coffee roasting operation, activity booking centre and retail shop.

The village will comprise 10 private camp sites each able to take up 8 guests (80 guests in total), three overland truck sites each able to take up to 24 guests (72 guests in total) and 12 en-suite chalets with air-conditioning, accommodating a further 24 guests.

The location is surrounded by gardens and is close to the craft markets, Ilala lodge and Elephant’s Walk Shopping and Artist Village.

The lion - Sylvester relocated

The lion – known as Sylvester – which escaped from Karoo National Park at the end of March, will be relocated to the Addo Elephant National Park, SANParks has announced.

Reports last month that the three-year-old male lion would be euthanised sparked a public outcry.

According to SANParks, the lion will be moved into a boma within an existing 200ha enclosure in the Kuzuko contractual section of the park, where he will be bonded with the two young females who are currently in the enclosure.

 
“This lion, at three years of age, is still young enough to bond with the two females and ultimately establish himself as the resident pride male,” said CEO of SANParks, Fundisile Mketeni.

The lions will then be released into the park to be free-ranging. The fence between Kuzuko and the neighbouring Darlington section of the park is due to be dropped soon, which will then provide the three lions with 60 000 ha over which to roam.
“There is always a risk that this lion may break out again but this will be mitigated to a large extent by reducing any potential conflict with other males, by placing him in a boma within the existing 200ha boma, and ultimately by establishing him as the dominant male,” said Mketeni.

He said the decision was in the best interests of the animal and conservation. “We would like to thank members of the public for their interest in this lion and their continued interest in conservation generally,” he said. “We attempted to respond to every message we received but eventually abandoned this due to the sheer number of messages received in the last two weeks.”

10 of the best intimate safari camps

Southern Africa has a wide range of safari camps that cater for 10 people or less, providing a highly personalised and exclusive experience. Tourism Update rounds up some of the best options on offer. 

Sanctuary Baines’ Camp, Botswana
With just five suites, Sanctuary Baines’ Camp has been constructed on raised platforms above a river in a private concession in the Okavango Delta’s Moremi Game Reserve. This camp is known for its elephant experience, providing guests with the opportunity to walk with orphaned elephants from the Living with Elephants Foundation. Built out of eco-friendly materials such as aluminium cans and commercially grown wood, the rooms feature four-poster beds which can be wheeled out on to each suite’s private deck for a night under the stars.

Tintswalo Manor House, South Africa
Situated within the Tintswalo Concession within the Private Manyeleti Game Reserve in Mpumalanga, Tintswalo Manor House is an exclusive-use property ideally suited to family groups. Accommodating up to 10 guests in its en-suite, air-conditioned rooms, the property also has a private swimming pool, patio, boma and bar area. The Manor House has its own dedicated staff, including a guide and tracker, as well as a private safari vehicle.  


Wilderness Safaris’ Busanga Bush Camp, Zambia
Accommodating a maximum of eight guests at any time, with just four tents, Busanga Bush Camp offers a truly intimate experience. Situated in the Busanga Plains of Kafue National Park, it is the ideal location from which to explore the surrounding floodplains and view wildlife, including its famous tree-climbing lions, which have been known to lounge on the verandas outside the guest tents. It is a seasonal camp, open from the beginning of June until the end of October each year.  


Little Oliver’s Camp, Tanzania
This five-room camp is in the heart of Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. Situated a kilometre away from the larger Oliver’s Camp, this exclusive property overlooks the floodplains of the Minyoyo Pools. Rooms have been furnished with handmade items crafted from the timber of old trading dhows and includes en-suite facilities with indoor and outdoor showers and large private decks. Activities on offer include game drives, walking safaris and hot air ballooning.  

Little Naibor Camp, Kenya
Situated on the banks of the Talek River in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, Little Naibor Camp is near the main Naibor Camp and comprises two individually designed suites. Each contains a double and a twin-bedded room, inter-linked by a communal lounge and veranda area. Little Naibor has its own dedicated staff and can be booked on an exclusive-use basis or together with the main Naibor Camp and its facilities.  


Tswalu Tarkuni, South Africa
This property was originally built as the holiday home of the Oppenheimer family, but is now also available on an exclusive-use basis. Situated in the 110 000-hectare Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve, Tarkuni features five suites, a dedicated chef, pool area, two lounges with fireplaces and a private safari vehicle. Personal staff include a host, chef, guide and tracker. Guests can enjoy game drives, bush walks and horseback safaris, and also make use of the reserve’s spa facilities.

Somalisa Acacia, Zimbabwe
Ideally suited to family groups, African Bush Camps’ Somalisa Acacia in Hwange National Park features two family units, with inter-leading walkways between the parents’ and children’s rooms, both of which are en-suite. It also includes two standard tents. All rooms feature a glass wood-burning fireplace, overhead fan, indoor and outdoor shower and a copper bathtub. The camp overlooks a waterhole, and includes a small splash pool. Activities range from game drives to walking excursions.


Mchenja Bush Camp, Zambia
Operated by Norman Carr Safaris, Mchenja Bush Camp has just five luxury tents and is open seasonally from mid-May to early-November. Located on the banks of the Luangwa River, each of the tents has a private, open-air bathroom with a Victorian-style bathtub with a view. The camp also features a central lounge and plunge pool. Activities include game-viewing on drives and on foot.


Little Chem Chem, Tanzania
Situated on the edge of an acacia forest in wildlife management area between Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara, Little Chem Chem features just five luxury rooms. It has private access to 16 000 hectares of wilderness and accommodates no more than 10 guests at any time. Rooms have been designed to evoke an ‘Out of Africa’ atmosphere, each with a private fire pit. A wide range of activities are available nearby, including day and night drives, animal tracking, hot air ballooning and helicopter flips.


Sindabezi Island, Zambia
Located on a private island on the Zambezi River, Sindabezi Island features just five open-sided thatch chalets overlooking the nearby national park. Each chalet has been positioned to offer guests a high degree of privacy, including the romantic honeymoon chalet complete with four-poster bed and claw-footed bathtub. Activities range from canoeing, to cultural visits and tours of the nearby Victoria Falls.     

Fresh ideas for adventures in Botswana

Elephant interactions and indulgence at Sanctuary Retreats

Sanctuary Retreats offers an elephant interaction in partnership with the Living with Elephants Foundation in the Okavango Delta. Guests stay at Sanctuary Stanley’s Camp or Sanctuary Baines' Camp and walk through the wilderness with Jabu, Thembi and Morula, a trio of semi-habituated orphaned elephants. While guests interact with elephants, they do not ride the elephants.

A day spent on a safari in the Okavango wetlands can be topped off in Sanctuary Baines' Camp's opulent star bath. Hidden on a private viewing deck, guests unwind surrounded by twinkling lanterns and shining stars. Four-poster 'sky beds' can be rolled on to a private wooden deck for a night under the starry skies.

At Sanctuary Stanley's Camp guests can indulge in a tranquil water lunch. The buffet-style meal is enjoyed, sitting with feet soaking in the cool, shallow waters of the Okavango Delta. For special occasions, private dinners can be arranged at the pool, complete with lanterns and candles.  

Balloon Safaris with Wilderness

Wilderness Safaris has also launched hot-air balloon safaris at Vumbura Plains and Little Vumbura camps in the Okavango Delta, available this year from April 18 to end September, coinciding with the dry season. Guests can also opt for an exclusive eight-minute helicopter transfer to and from the launch site, getting an additional bird’s-eye view of the terrain. 

Private camping tours with Drifters 

New from Drifters Adventure Tours are private camping tours in Botswana for small groups of two to 12 clients.  According to Christiaan Steyn, Marketing Manager, the tours feature tailor-made itineraries at affordable rates.
Drifters’ 16-day Botswana tour packages the country’s rich diversity.  Clients get the opportunity to interact with the local San people in the barren Kalahari Desert and spend three nights on a private island in the Delta, undertaking several mokoro trips and guided walking safaris. They also spend four nights camping wild in the national parks and a night under the stars on the Makgadikgadi salt pans.

 

Lions found poisoned in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe – Three lions have been found poisoned in southern Zimbabwe, it was reported on Friday.

The state-controlled Manica Post newspaper said the lions were believed to have been deliberately poisoned by villagers in the Chipinge area who were angry that the animals were preying on their cattle.

The attack highlights the human-wildlife conflict that exists in many parts of rural Zimbabwe. 

The lions had allegedly strayed from the nearby Save Valley Conservancy, which is privately-run.

Reports said that the game fence that surrounded the conservancy had been vandalized in some areas. 
The Manica Post carried a front-page picture of villagers gathered around two of the dead lions.
 
"Look, we are losing cattle each day. I have lost seven beasts since last year to the lions," a villager, who did not want to be named, told the newspaper.
"We have raised our concerns with the department of parks and wildlife, but they are not doing enough to contain the situation," he said. It's not clear what poison was used to kill the lions.
Poachers in Hwange in northern Zimbabwe used cyanide last year to kill about 60 elephants.

Lion-human conflict is a concern also in Hwange district. Conservationists in the area are experimenting with flashing LED lights fixed to homesteads, News24 reported last month.

In another apparent case of human-wildlife conflict that ended in the killing of an animal, the state ZBC broadcaster posted photos on its Twitter feed on Friday of what appeared to be a dead serval killed by a primary school teacher in Chirumhanzu district.

It was not immediately clear whether the cat had been attacked by someone.

New restaurant opens on Sea Point promenade

Strolla, a new beach side restaurant, has opened on Cape Town’s Sea Point promenade by the Peninsula All-Suite Hotel. Strolla includes a coffee shop, restaurant and bar and offers indoor-outdoor and all-day dining. The restaurant is family friendly and has a kids’ area with beanbags, toys and video games.