LAKE MANZE CAMP

News from Selous Game Reserve

With the ever-increasing pressures to reduce greenhouse gasses and CO2 emissions on all of us. We are doing our bit. We have our recycling project in full swing as we send everything that comes into camp back for recycling. All you will find here are your footsteps.
The solar power electricity generating system has been enhanced with added panels to minimize the effect of generator produced power. Enhancing our image to keep it as clean as possible.

Back to nature. We have received two large rain storms which has turned the area into a green haven with the lake filling up drawing many animals and birds to the shores.
The cats and dogs obviously do not like the wet areas and have been spotted on occasions on the main road waiting for their food to come to them. Even the cats have opted to climb up trees to escape the mud and obviously giving themselves a vantage point to scout for unsuspecting food. The Selous now has its own tree climbing Lions.
Extraordinary to see the Lions and crocodiles share a meal. Puts a new meaning on keeping an eye on your table partners. Some predators can live together and enjoy the cuisine in the bush.
Birdlife has been prolific as some of the migratory birds have moved in to enjoy the abundance of insects around after the rains. Colors are out of this world.

See you soon.

Safe travels.
By Shaun, Milinda and all Manze Team.

MDONYA OLD RIVER CAMP

News from the wild side

2018 has come to an end but we couldn’t have been more lucky at Mdonya Old River Camp!
On an cloudy evening and on the way back to the camp, our guests got to see the very shy and mysterious pangolin! It is a rare animal to spot in Ruaha and is facing extinction due to poaching. It is actually the most trafficked animal in the world for its scales which are then exported to Asia and used for several purposes. We were happy to hear that the pangolin looked fine and in good health. It gave us hope that in Ruaha the specie is doing fine. Nevertheless, due to their crepuscular habits and very good camouflage, there are almost undetectable when hiding under a tree.
This month, the rain arrived but it didn’t mean that our guests never had fun. In fact, it only made it better and more enjoyable. The grass is lush green, the roads are wet.
The migratory birds have also arrived with the rains. Colorfull and for some coming as far as the Amur valley, China.

Fundi Mtoto, the resident leopard which hadn’t been seen for a month has come back to the Mdonya area and on a night killed an impala in front of the office. As the grass has gotten long in camp, it was decided to move the kill to a quieter place a couple of meters away from our pathways. On the same evening, Fundi Mtoto was seen smelling around for his kill and after a couple of minutes looking, he finally found it and continued feeding on it.
It gave to our guests and all of our team the infinite privilege to watch a leopard feeding at peace only a couple of meters away from us ! Of course, as the kill was starting to smell, curious hyenas made an appearance and we all got to see an amazing interaction between a hyena and a leopard before we carried on with our own diner.

Lions have been keeping us up at night as well. A pride composed of two magnificent males and three females settled down in the region. Sometimes mating, sometimes feeding, they have been very successful! And on a morning, they kept us all on the edge of our toes but lying in between two tents.

The wet season has officially started in the Mdonya region, giving a spectacular view of the rivers flowing.
The trees are blooming, and all sides of nature are colorful and full of life. The summer season is very different from the traditional dry season of Africa but as beautiful if not even more interesting if you enjoy to watch migratory birds but also the smaller living being which are as interesting as the bigger ones.

A special thank you to Daniel Walther and his family for these beautiful pictures and to Angie Rombola for the leopard video in camp.

In the hope to see you soon,

Iris, Kingsley and all Mdonya Team.