HELPpppppp!

MALAWI? Where do I start? Last week we had no phone connection or internet for about 7 days. The country still has no fuel. The compensation is that the weather is great if you like it hot and although we have had a little rain the proper rains have not come upon us yet. The trees are growing their new leaves and the grass is starting to grow again.

The sad news here is that yet another elephant has been killed by poachers. She was shot twice in the body and managed to walk a couple of kilometres before collapsing and dying. The poachers managed to get her tusks, trunk and a little meat before disappearing into the bush. The scouts went searching for the poachers but had no luck but because the carcass was still fresh the meat did not go to waste and was sold, rightly or wrongly, to the locals in Kasungu, the main camp and at the gate. Should the meat have been left to rot?  I am sorry but I am not qualified to answer that one.

A reward system is now operating to try and motivate the scouts to work harder in catching the poachers and we will have to wait to see if it brings in any results. If anyone out there that reads this blog has any ideas on this or any other way to stop this devastation please let me know.

On a positive note the bird life is getting better here and there are many birds around the dam. I estimate between 500 to 700 at any one time. The fish eagles and osprey are still battling over the fishing rights and there are many birds of prey here which I cannot identify. One caught a swallow on the wing the other day. There are spur winged geese, yellow billed duck, white faced duck, black duck, redbilled teal and knobbilled duck. The African jacana and lesser jacana are common residence as well as various egrets, storks, herons as well as rock pratencole.

The large male hippo has set up camp in the pool right next to my house and if I don’t notice that he is there before I see him all hell breaks loose. I am not sure what has happened to the hippos. Last year there were around 15 adults and 1 baby. Now there are 9 adults and 6 babies.

The elephants are still coming to the dam although they are in decreased numbers but they still swim and play like children. Nearly every herd has at least one baby as well as several sub adults and the other day 5 of the big bulls appeared at the same time in a little herd. I just hope the poachers keep their filthy little hands off them.

The painted dogs have been seen several times in the last few weeks and seem to be doing well although I am not sure what their long term effect on the prey species in the park will be.

I saw the large male leopard at the lodge the other night and the lodge manager nearly jumped out of her skin with fright. I have him on one of my cameras at the house along with hippos, elephants, bush pigs and civet. Some of them are literally knocking on my back door.

The project has nearly come to a standstill due to the diesel issues but I am working with the lodge management to try and get the volunteer program up and running. Hopefully this will give us a sustainable source of money for the project.

The lion man, David Youldon, came to see me a couple of weeks ago to discuss the park and project and wishes to get involved with me here to do a feasibility study on the suitability of the park for release of lions. He works out of Zambia and has recently made a program for ITV on the rehabilitation of lions back into the wild.

If anyone out there has any spare cash that would like to donate to the park or the project there a million things I could spend it on.

If you have any comments on what you read on this blog or my website please let me know.